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THE BUILDING OF THE PYRAMIDS. 



7 



My Mother's Bible Stories 



TOLD IN THE LANGUAGE OF A GENTLE, LOVING 

MOTHER CONVERSING WITH HER 

CHILDREN 



Designed for family use during "the children's hour" around 
• • • the evening lamp • . . 



INTRODUCED BY 

Bishop JOHN H. VINCENT, D. D. 

Chancellor of Chautauqua Institute 



Tell me a story, mother, s~ 

Tell it to vour little child. 



"^X- 



~F-- 



Embracing all the wonderful, romantic, beautiful and tender incidents and events 

of the Scriptures, related in the form of stories to please 2^ 

and instruct the little ones *«*■* Tj/JJ mm* / 




VERY BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED 

with two hundred steel etchings, wood engravings and colored photogravures 



PEOPLE'S PUBLISHING CO., 

PHILADELPHIA, PA. , ST. LOUIS, MO. 



\ 



Copyright, 1896, 
C. R. Graham. 









w/^ 



* .* .* \ U^l I J I I I \ ** ^ ^ 




INTRODUCTION 

BY BISHOP JOHN H. VINCENT. 



HE Book of Books is a book for the babe as well as 
for the full-grown man ; a book for the babe and for 
the babe's mother. Best of all, the child's growth 
never carries him beyond the Book. Its stories and 
its songs hold and charm him when he is so small 
as to sit or lie in mother's lap. "That sweet story 
of old" is a joy to him then — the Babe of Bethle- 
hem, and how He lay in a manger, and how the 
shepherds came to Him and the wise men with their 
gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh ; the flight 
into Egypt through the fear of Herod ; the warning 
and the guiding angels — how all these things make 
baby's eyes grow bright! When he is big enough for "trousers 
with pockets," and for high top boots on a snowy morning, his 
eyes will flash at the story of David, the shepherd boy, as he 
braved the bear, slew the lion and swung the sling that made the 
giant bite the dust. And the stories of Joseph and of Moses and 
of Joshua, of Samuel and of Samson and of the brave Daniel — 
well, he loves to hear them over and over. Or, if told him at the 

right time his face will grow serious under the account of the fine 

(iii) 



iv INTRODUCTION. 

lad from Nazareth who, when He visited the temple in Jerusalem r 
lingered in the school of the wise doctors to listen to what they 
had to say, and to sa} r things that made even the doctors wonder. 

When the boy gets to be a big boy — almost a man, if he be 
skilfully dealt with, he will take a lively interest in the journeys 
and deeds and wise words of Bible men ; and while he may not 
seem to give much attention, and while he may really care a great 
deal more for one of Scott's stories or for some bright book of 
travels or of battles, than he does for anything to be found in the 
Bible, he will still read his daily chapter or study his Sunday- 
school lesson, or give reverent attention to his father's voice in 
the morning reading and pick up now and then an idea from it 
all, which will make him a sturdier boy and a manlier man. 

If ministers and mothers (and why not fathers) were wise 
with ordinary wisdom, the Bible might be made so fascinating. 
It is a book of History — graphic, brilliant, in a good sense sensa- 
tional, and if rightly taught has captivating power in it. Why 
are not parents and pastors wiser? 

In the later years, when the boy is a man with a home and 
children of his own, the cares of life upon him and the home of 
his childhood a memory, he will find strength in the big Book. 
And later on, in old age, when the frosts are in his hair and a 
dimness in his eyes, he will turn to the same great and gracious 
volume for comfort and consolation. He will recite over again 
more slowly and reverently now than when he was a bo}^ — the 
words he learned in boyhood but which he is now just beginning 
to appreciate : " The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want," 
and "In my Father's house are many mansions." He said these 
things glibly once as mere feats or tasks of memory. He repeats 
them now with a clinging heart, putting its love into the memory. 
His tremulous voice makes music of these divine words. A book 






INTRODUCTION. v 

with so much in it, for so many stages in one's career, cannot be 
too early or too carefully taught. And the best place for the 
early teaching is at home. And the best teachers are mother and 
father. It is a great thing to connect God's words of history and 
poetry and promise with the voices and faces of those whom we 
love earliest and best. Therefore whatever helps to make home 
teach God's word, and do it well, is a blessing which one cannot 
overvalue. 

This then is the mission of the present volume : To turn the 
attention of parents to the simple and wonderful lessons of the 
Holy Bible ; to help them in winning the interest of the little 
folks ; and thus to build up memories in which the love and light 
and joy of home are connected with the law and love and precious 
promises of the sacred Scriptures. 

The compiler of this book of Bible stories has availed herself 
of the helps which other works in the same line have furnished, 
believing that in this new form they will invite the parents of 
our times to a renewal of effort in the reading of the Bible and in 
the repeating of its matchless stories to the children of our land 
and age. 

The truth of the Bible forms the basis of the republic. The 
God of the Bible is the hope of its future prosperity. The laws of 
the Bible must be the laws of the land. Therefore this home help 
to Bible study has no mean or unimportant part to play in 
training a generation of American citizens who shall make God 
their trust, His love their inspiration, His laws their standard, 
His Son their Redeemer, His grace their strength, His heaven 
their eternal home. 

Buffalo, N. Y. 







THE BOW OF PROMISE 



The flMhor's Ptirpose in Writing This Book 




HILDREN are children, the wide world over. In many 
things they widely differ. In color they are black, or 
white, or brown, or yellow, for there are many races 
among the children of men. 

In character they are greatly unlike, for while some are gentle 
and good, others are wild and wayward, and downright little savages. 

Bnt in one thing they are all agreed, they all delight in 
stories. 

" Tell ns a story," is the ceaseless cry that comes from the 
children's lips, as they sit on papa's knee, or at mother's feet, or 
stand beside grandpa's chair. 

In German}' or Japan, in Calcutta or Chicago, there is the 
same close clustering and the same eager listening when the story- 
teller is present and the story is about to be begun. Nor is this 
true of the little children only. We are all but children of a 
larger growth, and we never lose our relish for pictured truth, 
and that is what a story is, if it be a story that is worthy of the 
name. There are many stories afloat that are not true, and cannot 
be, they are so absurd ; and many that are true that ought not to 
be told, they are so utterly silly, or so abominably bad. 

Our Father in Heaven knew just what kind of a book would 
please and profit His children most, and so He has given us a story 
book. The most wonderful story book in the world is the Bible — 
more wonderful than the Arabian Nights, or Grim's Fairy Tales, 
or any other book that ever was written by the pen of man : the 
story of Creation and the story of Eden ; the story of the Fall ; 
the story of the Flood; the story of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; 

(vii) 



viii INTRODUCTION, 

the story of Joseph and Moses, and on through all the range of 
Old Testament history. 

And when we come to the New Testament it is brimming and 
beautiful with stories most wonderful. The Great Teacher taught 
the people in parable, and what are parables but stories intended 
to picture the truth ? What story was ever told of such beaut}^ 
and tenderness as that of the Babe of Bethlehem and the Man of 
Calvary ? 

And the lives of such followers of Christ as Peter and Paul — 
what could better stir the blood and warm the heart ? And the 
best of it all about these stories is that they are absolutely true, 
and not only full of deepest interest, but shed the clearest light 
upon the path that leads us on from earth to heaven. 

The Bible Stories that are told in this book are not intended 
to draw the children away from the Bible, which after all is " the 
Book of Books," but are intended to draw them to it. The Bible 
is for all ages, and in it are many words that are sometimes hard 
to be understood, at least for the younger sort of readers. This 
story book is intended for the younger sort, aud it is to be hoped 
will give them a clearer light upon God's holy pages, and will also 
be a help for those busy parents and other friends of children who 
wish they " had the knack " of interesting children by the telling 
of Bible Stories but hardly know how to set about it. This book 
will furnish a delightful guide, and we do not doubt will warm 
many a heart, brighten many a home, cheer many a lonely hour, 
and lift up many a life into a higher plane of usefulness and 
happiness. 



sw/feswifeJw^ 




III 



CONTENTS 



»»^F^JF^F^»*»» 



===f?' 



I' AGE. 

33 



How God Made the World 

The Wonderful Things that God made to Grow out of the Ground .... 34 

The Wonderful Living Things that God Created 36 

The Story of Creation . 39 

The Story of How Adam and Eve Sinned 42 

The Sad Story of Cain and Abel 47 

Story of Enoch, the Good Man, Who did Not Die 49 

Story of the Great Flood that Covered the Whole Earth 50 

Ximrod the Mighty Hunter, and the Building of the Tower of Babel ... 54 

The Beautiful Story of Abraham 56 

Abraham Receives a Promise from God and Entertains Three Angels ... 58 

Abraham is Commanded to Sacrifice Isaac 60 

The Story of Isaac and Rebecca 64 

Jacob's Wonderful Dream 67 

Jacob's Love for Rachel 69 

The Wonderful Story of Joseph 71 

Joseph's Brothers Sell Him as a Slave 76 

The Strange Things that Happened to Joseph in Egypt 79 

The Butler and the Baker 81 

The Wonderful Story of How Joseph was Released from Prison and Became 

a Great Ruler 83 

Joseph's Brothers Come to Egypt to Buy Corn 88 

Joseph Makes a Great Feast for his Brothers 91 

Joseph Makes Himself Known to his Brothers 96 

Jacob and His Family Remove to Egypt 99 

The Story of Moses, and How He was Found in the Bulrushes by the 

King's Daughter 103 

How Moses Slew the Task-master no 

Story of the Wonderful Burning Bush 112 

A Description of Some of the Terrible Plagues that God Sent Upon Egypt . 116 

Other Great Plagues that Fell Upon the Egyptians 119 

(ix) 



x CONTENTS. 

PARE. 

How Moses and the Children of Israel Crossed the Red Sea . 126 

Story of the Manna, and the Rock in the Desert 130 

The Terrors of Mount Sinai 133 

The Building of the Tabernacle 136 

The Wonders and Beauties of the Tabernacle 142 

Story of the Twelve Spies 145 

The Story of Baalam 151 

The Sin of Moses and Aaron, and Aaron's Death 154 

The Brazen Serpent 157 

The Death of Moses • 159 

Joshua, the Great General 163 

The Children of Israel Cross the River Jordan 167 

The Walls of Jericho Fall Down 171 

Conquest of Canaan and Death of Joshua 175 

Story of Samson, the Strong Man 178 

The Beautiful Story of Faithful Ruth 181 

Ruth Gleans Corn in the Fields 185 

The Wedding of Ruth and Boaz 189 

The Story of Gideon 193 

The Story of Job 197 

The Story of Samuel and His Mother 202 

Eli and His Wicked Sons 203 

The Israelites Ask Samuel to Give Them a King 205 

Saul is Chosen King 206 

King Saul Conquers the Amalekites 209 

God's Punishment of King Saul 211 

The Story of David 213 

David Plays the Harp Before King Saul 214 

Story of the Giant Goliath 217 

David's Battle with Goliath 219 

Saul Tries to Kill David 221 

The Death of Saul 225 

David Becomes King 227 

Nathan Rebukes David . 228 

Absalom is Found Hanging on an Oak Tree 232 

David's Grief for the Death of Absalom 234 

David's Farewell to His People 236 

Story of Solomon, the Wise Man t 236 

Story of the Two Women and the Dead Child , 237 

Solomon Builds a Beautiful Temple 239 



CONTENTS. xi 



PAGE. 



Story of the Queen of Sheba , 243 

Solomon Forgets God and Worships Idols 245 

How Jeroboam was Punished for His Wickedness 246 

Story of Elijah and the Ravens 248 

Story of the Widow and Her Son 250 

Elijah Goes on a Long Journey to See King Ahab 253 

Elijah and the Prophets of Baal 255 

Story of the Little Cloud No Larger than a Man's Hand 257 

What Happened to Elijah in the Wilderness 260 

Elijah is Taken Up to Heaven in a Chariot of Fire 262 

Story of the Bears and the Wicked Children * . . 264 

Elisha Restores Life to a Little Boy Who Had Died 265 

Story of Naaman the Leper 269 

The Wonderful Story of Jonah 272 

The Story of King Hezekiah 274 

The King of Babylon Captures Jerusalem and Burns the Temple 278 

Story of the Three Men Who Were Thrown into a Fiery Furnace 280 

Story of the Handwriting on the Wall 282 

Daniel in the Lion's Den 285 

Story of Esther, the Beautiful Queen 289 

Story of the Wicked Haman , 292 

God Saves the Jews, and Haman is Hanged on His Own Gallows 295 

Cyrus, the Great King 296 

PART TWO— THE NEW TESTAMENT. 

Zacharias and His Wife Elisabeth 301 

Mary the Mother of Jesus 303 

Birth of John the Baptist 305 

Jesus is Born in Bethlehem in a Manger 307 

Simeon, and Anna the Prophetess 310 

Story of the Wise Men of the East 312 

Herod Sends His Soldiers to Kill the Little Boys Who Lived in Bethlehem, 315 

Jesus Talks with the Priests in the Temple 318 

John the Baptist Preaches in the Desert 320 

Satan Tempts Jesus in the Wilderness 321 

The Disciples of Jesus 324 

How Nathaniel Became a Disciple of Jesus 327 

The Miracle at the Wedding Feast 328 

Story of the Woman of Samaria 330 



xii CONTENTS. 



PAGE. 



The Men of Nazareth Try to Kill Jesus 332 

The Miraculous Draught of Fishes ....... 333 

Jesus Heals a Man Who Was Insane 336 

Jesus Heals a Sick Man 338 

A Wonderful Thing that Happened at the Pool of Bethesda 340 

Jesus Chooses Twelve Apostles 342 

Something More About John the Baptist 345 

John Sends Messengers to Jesus 346 

Herod Causes John to be Beheaded , 348 

Jesus Restores Life to a Young Girl Who Had Died 350 

Herod, on Hearing of Jesus, Supposed He Was John the Baptist Come to 

Life Again 351 

Jesus Walks on the Water . 353 

Jesus Preaches to the People 355 

Glories of the Mount of Transfiguration 358 

Jesus Teaches Humility 360 

The Story of Mary and Martha, Who Loved Jesus 361 

Story of the Blind Beggar 364 

Story of the Lost Sheep 367 

Jesus Blesses Little Children . 370 

Story of the Humble Publican and the Proud Pharisee 374 

The Wonderful, Story of Lazarus . , 376 

Mary and the Precious Ointment . ■ . 380 

Christ's Royal Entry into Jerusalem 383 

Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem 384 

Story of the Widow and Her Mite 388 

The Evening on the Mount of Olives 390 

Judas Betrays His Master 392 

The Feast of the Passover . 395 

Jesus Accuses Judas of His Treachery 397 

Jesus Rebukes Peter 399 

The Sacrament 400 

The Agony in the Garden 403 

Peter Draws His Sword in Defence of His Master 406 

The Trial and Mockery of Jesus 408 

Peter Denies His Master 410 

Pontius Pilate 411 

Death of Judas the Traitor 413 

Pilate Tries to Save the Life of Jesus 414 

The Jews Ask for the Release of a Robber 417 



CONTENTS. xiii 



PAGE. 



The Roman Soldiers Mock Jesus 420 

The Crucifixion 421 

The Agony on the Cross 424 

Death of Jesus 426 

The Seven Sayings of Jesus on the Cross 429 

Truly, This Was the Son of God 430 

Joseph of Arimathea 432 

The Women and the Angel at the Tomb of Jesus 434 

Jesus is Risen and Glorified 436 

Jesus Appears to His Disciples 440 

Doubting Thomas » 443 

Jesus Ascends Into Heaven 444 

The Disciples Receive the Promised Comforter 447 

The Lame Man at the Beautiful Gate 450 

The Stoning of Stephen, the First Martyr 451 

Story of Philip and the Ethiopian Prince 454 

The Wonderful Vision of Saul 456 

Ananias Appears to Saul in a Vision 458 

An Angel Delivers Peter from Prison 461 

Story of Paul and the Wicked Sorcerer 464 

Paul and Timothy 466 

Paul's Wonderful Dream 467 

Story of a Great Earthquake 468 

Paul's Visit to Greece 470 

Paul and Titus 472 

A Great Uproar in the Temple and on the Castle Stairs 473 

Paul's Escape from Scourging 476 

Paul Speaks Before King Agrippa 477 

Paul's Life in Rome 480 



••• ILLUSTRATIONS > 



The Building of the Pyramids Frontispiece 

The Bow of Promise 6 

Women of Babylon 32 

In the Beginning the World was Void and Without Form ........ 35 

The Giving of the Law 37 

Some of the Beasts that God Created' 38 

Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden 41 

The Beautiful Home Lost Through Sin 43 

Adam and Eve Driven from the Garden of Eden 44 

Eve and her Two Boys 45 

Cain Slays Abel 46 

The Flood 51 

Going Into the Ark 52 

Noah's Sacrifice and the Rainbow 53 

Ham Deriding His Father : 54 

Building of the Tower of Babel 55 

Abraham Building an Altar to God 57 

Lot's Wife Turned Into a Pillar of Salt 59 

Sara, Abraham's Wife 61 

The Angel Appearing to Abraham 62 

Rebekah Gives Abraham's Servant Water to Drink 64 

Hagar Driven from Home 65 

Esau Sells His Birthright - 66 

Isaac Blesses Jacob 68 

Rachel at the Well . . . • 69 

Jacob Arrives at the House of Laban 70 

Meeting of Esau and Jacob 72 

Jacob's Wonderful Dream .......* 73 

Merchants Barter for Joseph , . . 75 

Merchants Traveling in Palestine 77 

The Wicked Brothers Sell Joseph 79 

A Prison in Egypt 81 

(xiv) 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



PAGE. 



Jacob's Well 85 

Destruction of Pharaoh's Army 87 

On the Road from Canaan to Egypt 93 

Jacob and His Family Remove to Egypt 99 

Death of Jacob 102 

The Egyptian Well 105 

Hagar and Ishmael 106 

The Princess Finds Moses , 107 

A Home in Bible Land ^ 109 

Moses at the Home of Labau 113 

Travelers in Palestine 115 

The Rods Turned to Snakes 117 

The Storm of Fire and Hail 120 

The Pest of Locusts 121 

Eating the Passover 122 

The x\ngel of Death Passing Over Egypt 123 

The Children of Israel Preparing to Depart 124 

Pharaoh's Army Pursuing the Children of Israel 127 

Pharaoh's Rage on Learning that the Children of Israel had Fled 128 

The Song of Triumph 129 

Gathering Manna in the Wilderness 131 

Water Gushes from the Rock 132 

Moses Brings the Book from Mount Sinai . . 135 

The Golden Calf 137 

The Children of Israel Delivering their Treasures to Moses 139 

The Altar of Incense . 140 

The Brass Altar 142 

The Brass Basin for the People to Wash In 143 

Aaron Blessing the People 146 

The River Jordan 147 

The Return of the Spies 148 

The People Threaten to Stone Caleb and Joshua 150 

Balaam Sees the Angel 152 

The People Murmur Against Moses and Aaron • ... 155 

Death of Aaron 156 

The Brazen Serpent 158 

Moses Blesses the People 161 

Burial of Moses 162 

Joshua, the New Leader of the Israelites 164 

Escape of the Spies 166 



xvi ILLUSTRATIONS, 



PAGE. 



The Priests Bearing the Ark .169 

The Angel Appearing to Joshua 171 

Destruction of Jericho 173 

Joshua Commanding the Sun and Moon to Stand Still 176 

Destroying Idols 177 

Samson Kills the Lion 179 

Samson Slaying the Philistines with the Jawbone of an Ass 1 80 

Samson Thrown into Prison 181 

Samson and Delilah . . 182 

Samson Destroys the Temple of Dagon 183 

Orpah Returns Home 184 

Ruth Before Boaz , 187 

Boaz and the Kinsman of Naomi 191 

The Angel Departing Out of Gideon's Sight 194 

Gideon Wringing the Water from the Fleece 195 

Robbers Attacking the Servants of Job 198 

Job's Anguish W T hen Told of the Death of His Children 199 

Fire Falls from Heaven and Consumes the Shepherds 201 

Samuel Anoints Saul 207 

"God Save the King!" 208 

Saul Defeats the Amalekites 210 

Return of Saul's Army with the Sheep and Oxen 211 

Samuel Departs from Saul 212 

Bethlehem, the City of David 215 

David Slays Goliath . . . ■ 220 

David Fighting the Philistines 222 

Saul Tries to Kill David 223 

Saul and the Witch of Endor 224 

Death of Saul . . . . • 226 

Nathan Rebuking David 229 

David Fleeing from Jerusalem 230 

Death of Absalom 232 

The Messengers Tell David of the Death of Absalom 234 

Solomon and the Two Women 238 

Building the Temple 240 

Bringing the Ark to the Temple 241 

The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon 244 

Jezebel Comes from Sidon to Meet Ahab 249 

Jezebel and Ahab 251 

Killing the Prophets of Baal 256 



ILLUSTRATIONS xvii 

PAGE. 

Elijah and the Angel . 258 

Dogs Eat the Body of Jezebel 261 

Elisha Restores the Child to Life 267 

The Dead Man Restored to Life 268 

The King of Assyria and His Army 275 

The Angel of the Lord Destroying the Assyrians 277 

The Soldiers of Babylon Capture Zedekiah 279 

The Fiery Furnace . 281 

The Hand-Writing on the Wall 283 

The Soldiers of Darius Kill Belshazzar 284 

A Hungry Lion Attacking a Traveler 285 

Casting the Wicked Men and their Families Into the Lions' Den 287 

People Came from All Parts of the World to the Feast 289 

Esther is Brought to the Palace 291 

The Vision of the Cross 297 

Rebuilding Jerusalem 299 

Of Such is the Kingdom of Heaven 300 

The Star of Bethlehem 301 

Blessing the Holy Child 304 

Salome Dancing Before Herod 305 

The Angel Appears to Mary 306 

The Angels and the Shepherds 307 

Angels Appear to the Shepherds 309 

The Wise Men Worship Jesus 311 

The Shadow of the Cross 314 

The Childhood of Jesus 316 

Death of Herod 317 

On the Way to Jerusalem ...319 

The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness 321 

" Thou Art My Beloved Son " 321 

Alone in the Desert 322 

The Angels Serve Jesus 323 

Jesus and His Disciples 326 

The Miracle at Cana of Galilee 329 

Jesus and the Woman of Samaria 335 

Jesus Careth for the Sick 337 

Jesus Sows the Good Seed in Every Heart 34 1 

The Winds and the Waves Obeyed Him 343 

Street Leading to Herod's Palace . . . 347 

Beheading of John the Baptist . . „ 349 



xviii ILLUSTRATIONS. 

PAGE. 

Jesus Walking on the Water 354 

Jesus Talking with His Disciples 359 

Jesus Loves Little Children 361 

Jesus at the Home of Man' and Martha 363 

The Lost Sheep 365 

Jesus the Friend of Sinners 368 

Jesus Blesses Little Children 369 

The Road to Samaria 371 

The Rich Young Man 373 

Modern Jericho 375 

Zaccheus in the Sycamore Tree 376 

The Raising of Lazarus 378 

The Sisters at the Tomb of Lazarus 379 

Mary Anointing the Feet of Jesus 38 1 

Pity for the Unfortunate 385 

And the Door was Shut 387 

The Evening on the Mount of Olives 389 

God's Care for Us Taught by the Beautiful Lily 391 

A Water Carrier in the Streets of Jerusalem . 393 

Peter's Denial of Christ 401 

Angels Ministering to Jesus 405 

The Jews Reject Christ 419 

The Crucifixion 423 

The Friends of Jesus Watching the Procession to the Cross 425 

At the Foot of the Cross 427 

The Basin of Vinegar 428 

Jesus Giveth the Water of Life 431 

The Women at the Tomb of Jesus 433 

The Cross of Christ ' . . . # 435 

The Burial of Christ 437 

Jesus and Mary Magdalene 439 

Jesus Ascends Into Heaven 445 

Jesus Shows Himself to the Two Marys 449 

The Gate Near Which Stephen Was Stoned 453 

The Chariot of the Ethiopian Lord 455 

Interior of a House in Damascus 457 

A Street Scene in Bible Land 459 

Released by the Angel 463 

Paul Expels the Evil Spirit 465 

A Street Scene in Damascus 471 

The Shipwreck of Paul 475 



Ifly Ukber's Bible Stories. 




How God Made the World. 

HIS large place we live in is called the world. It is very 

beautiful. If we look up we see the blue sky ; if we look 

down we see the green grass. 

The sky is like a curtain spread over our heads ; the 

grass like a carpet under our feet, and the bright sun is like a 

great beautiful lamp to give us light. It was very kind of God 

to make such a beautiful world for us to live in. 

How did God make the world ? By simply speaking the 
word. First of all, He made the light. God said, " Let there be 
light," and there was light. No one can make things by speaking 
but God : — God made everything out of nothing. He only spoke 
and the light came. 

Then God made the air. You cannot see the air, but you can 
feel it. The air is everywhere. You can sometimes hear the noise 
it makes, for you hear the wind blow, and the wind is air. 

Then God said, " Let the waters under the heaven be gathered 
together into one place, and let dry land appear," and it was so. 
The clouds are full of water, and sometimes it comes down, and 
we call it rain. 

God made a large, deep place, and filled it with water, and 
this He called the sea. Ships and boats sail on the sea, and it 
is filled with fishes and whales and living things ; but men cannot 
live in the sea. 

So God made the dry land for us to walk upon, and for the 
trees and the grass and the flowers to grow upon, and the land is 
3 (33) 



34 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

very beautiful. We could not walk upon the sea, nor build houses 
in it ; but the ground is hard and firm and dry. 

Now I have told you of five things that God made : i , the 
Light; 2, the Air; 3, the Clouds; 4, the Sea; 5, the Dry Land. 

Let us praise God for making such a large and beautiful 
world. 



The Wonderful Things That God Made to Grow Out of the 

Ground. 

When God made the dry land there was nothing on it ; it was 
bare. So He spake, and immediately the whole earth was covered 
with many wonderful and beautiful things. 

Trees came out of it ; they were covered with green leaves of 
different shapes. Some were called oak trees, some elm trees, and 
some beech trees ; and some trees bore nice fruit. 

Vegetables grew upon and in the earth, such as beans, lettuce, 
potatoes, and the many other nice things that we cook and put on 
our tables to eat. 

Corn came up out of the earth. Some corn is called wheat, and 
some barley, and some is called oats. The maize or Indian corn was 
not known until Columbus discovered America, but God made it 
the same time He made the other corn. The ears of corn bend 
down when they are ripe, and look yellow, like gold. 

God made the soft, green grass to spring up, and flowers to grow 
among the grass — flowers of all colors and of the sweetest smell — - 
the yellow buttercup, the white lily, the blue violet, and the queenly 
rose, the most beautiful of all flowers. 

The world looked very beautiful when it was covered with grass 
and trees, and bright and lovely flowers ; but only God and the angels 
saw its beauty, because there were no other living creatures at that 
time. 

Afterward God placed the sun in the sky, and bade it shine all 
day. Then He made the moon to shine at night, and filled the sky 
with stars. 



36 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

You never saw anything as bright as the sun. It is very large, 
and is like a blazing ball of fire, but it looks small, because it is a 
great way off. It can never fall, for God holds it up. 

The moon does not shine as brightly as the sun. It only shines 
by reflection from the light of the sun, so that if God should take 
the sun away we could not see the moon at all. God lets it be 
dark at night, that we may rest and sleep soundly. 

Who could count the stars ? No one but God. He alone knows 
their names and their number. Each star is a great round world 
like the one we live upon; and all of these mighty worlds go 
whirling and spinning night and day on the courses God has marked 
out for them. They rush through space faster than any bird can 
fly. There are many thousands of these bright and beautiful 
worlds, all whirling round and rushing forward on the paths that 
God has fixed for them ; but they never come together or strike one 
another, because God keeps each one in its own path. It is said 
that as the worlds turn round and spin along on their courses they 
sing a glad song of praise to God, and this song is called the " music 
of the spheres," because each world is round like an orange or a 
sphere. When we look at the moon and stars let us think, " how 
great God is ! Yet He cares for the little birds and loves little 
children." 



The Wonderful Living Things That God Created. 

Among all the wonderful and beautiful things God had made up 
to this time, none of them had life. At last He made living things. 
He spoke, and the water was filled with fishes, more than could be 
counted. 

Some were very small, and some were very large. Have you 
heard of the great whale? It is a fish as long as a church. Fishes 
are cold and they have no feet, and they cannot sing or speak. 

God made the birds, more beautiful than the fishes, to fly about 
in the air. They also perched upon the trees and sang among the 
branches, and the woods seemed alive with the music of their songs. 




THE GIVING OF THE LAV 



38 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



Birds have wings, and are covered with feathers of many beautiful 
colors. The robin has a red breast, the goldfinch has some yellow 
feathers, and the jay some blue ones, but the peacock is the most 
brilliant of birds. It has a little tuft upon its head and a long train 
that sweeps behind ; sometimes it spreads out its feathers, and they 
look like a large fan. 

The thrush, the blackbird and the linnet can sing sweetly ; but 
there is one bird that can sing more sweetly still — it is the nightingale. 
Some birds swim upon the water, such as the duck and the 
beautiful swan, with its long neck and feathers, like the snow. 

The eagle builds its nest in a very high place. Its wings are 
very strong, and it can fly as high as the clouds. 

The gentlest of the birds is the dove. It cannot sing, but it sits 

alone and cooes softly, as if it were sad. 

I cannot tell you the names of all the 
birds, but you can think of the names of 
some other kinds. 

There are other sorts of living crea- 
tures, called insects. God made them come 
out of the earth, and not out of the water, 
like fishes. Insects are small and creep 
upon the earth, such as ants. Some insects 
can fly also, such as bees and butterflies. 
The bee sucks the juice of flowers, and makes wax and honey. How 
gay are the wings of the butterfly ! They are covered with little 
feathers, too small to be seen. All the insects were good and pretty 
when God made them. 

At last God made the beasts. He commanded the earth to bring 
them forth, and at once they were everywhere, in all parts of the 
world. They walked upon the land, and it was wonderful to see 
them all suited to the climate and the country where they lived. You 
know the names of a great many kinds of beasts. Sheep and cows, 
dogs and cats are beasts. But there are many others besides : the 
squirrel that jumps from bough to bough, the rabbit that lives in a 
hole under ground, and the goat that climbs the high hills ; the stag, 




SOME OF THE BEASTS THAT GOD 
CREATED. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 39 

with its beautiful horus ; the lion, with its yellow hair ; the tiger, 
whose skin is marked with stripes. The elephant is the largest of the 
beasts, the lion is the strongest, the dog is the most sensible, the stag 
is the most beautiful, but the lamb is the gentlest. The dove is the 
gentlest of the birds, and the lamb is the gentlest of the beasts. 
Now God had filled the world with living creatures, and they were 
all good ; even lions and tigers were quiet and harmless when they 
were first created. I have told you of four sorts of living creatures: 

1. Fishes. 

2. Birds. 

3. Insects. 

4. Beasts. 

All these creatures have bodies, but they have not souls like 
you. They can move and breathe. God feeds them every day and 
keeps them alive. He is good to all His creatures. 



The Story of Creation. 

God had nothing to make the world of. He only spoke, and 
it was made. 

Making things of nothing is called " creating." No one can 
create anything but God. 

Do you know why God is called the Creator ? It is because 
He created all things. There is only one Creator. Angels cannot 
create things, nor can men. They could not create one drop of 
water, or one little fly. 

You know that God was six days in creating the world. I 
will tell you what He did on each day. 

I. 

On the first day God said, " Let there be light," and there 
was light. 

II. 

On the second day God spoke again, and created the waters 
which existed everywhere. Then He said, " Let there be a firmament 



4 o MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

in the midst of the waters," and immediately the firmament 
appeared and divided the waters that were above from those that 
were below. He called the firmament heaven, and it remains to 
this day. 

HI. 

On the third day God spoke, and the dry land appeared from 
nnder the water ; and the water ran down into one deep place that 
God had prepared. God called the dry land Earth, and He called 
the water Seas. We walk upon the dry land. We cannot walk 
upon the sea. God spoke, and things grew out of the earth. Can 
you- tell me what things grew out of the earth ? Grass, and corn, 
and trees, and flowers. 

IV. 

On the fourth day God spoke, and the sun, and moon, and 
stars were made. God ordered the sun to come every morning, 
and to go away in the evening, because He did not choose that it 
should be always light. It is best that it should be dark at night, 
when we are asleep. But God lets the moon shine in the night, 
and the stars also ; so that if we go out in the night, we have a 
little light. There are more stars than we can count. 

V. 

On the fifth day God began to make things that are alive. 
He spoke, and the water was filled with fishes, and birds flew 
in the air, and perched upon the trees. 

VI. 

On the sixth day God spoke, and the beasts came out of the 
earth : lions, sheep, cows, horses, and all kinds of beasts, came 
out of the earth, as well as all kinds of creeping things. 

At last God made man. He said, " Let us make man in our 
likeness." So God made man's body of the dust, and then breathed 
the breath of life into his nostrils. The man had a soul as well 
as a body ; and God called him Adam. 

God put him in a very pretty garden, full of trees covered 
with fruit. This garden was called the Garden of Eden. God 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



4i 



showed Adam all the beasts and birds, and let him give them 
what names he pleased. He said to Adam, u I give you all the 
fishes, and insects, and birds, and beasts ; you are their master." 
So Adam was king 
over everything on 
the earth. 

But he had no 
friend to be with 
him ; for the beasts 
and birds could not 
talk to him. 

Then God said 
He would make a 
woman to be a 
friend to Adam. So 
God made Adam 
fall fast asleep, and 
He took a piece of 
bone and flesh out 
of his side, and 
made it into a wo- 
man. When Adam 
awoke he saw her. 
He knew that she 
was made of his 
flesh and bone, and 
he loved her very 
much. Her name 
was " woman," and 
afterward she was 
called Eve. 

When God had finished all His works, He saw they were very 
good. He was pleased with the things He had made. They were 
all very beautiful. The light was glorious ; the air was sweet ; 
the earth was lovely, clothed in green ; the sun and moon shone 




ADAM AND EVE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN. 



4 2 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES 

brightly in the heavens; the birds, and beasts, and all the living 
creatures, were good and happy, and Adam and Eve were the best 
of all, for they could think of God and praise Him. 

VII. 

You know there are seven days in the week. Now, on the 
seventh day God did not make anything; but He rested from all 
His works. He called the seventh day His own day, because He 
rested on it. This is the reason people rest on the seventh day, 
and call it God's day. It is the Sabbath day. It is the day for 
praising God. 

None of the creatures that God had made in the six days 
could praise him with their tongues, except Adam and Eve. 

Angels in heaven can praise God, and men upon earth. 

Angels always praise God with their hearts, and so should we. 

Let us now count the things that God made on each day: — 

First day, Light. 

Second day, Air and Clouds. 

Third day, Earth and Sea, and the things that grow. 

Fourth day, Sun, Moon and Stars. 

Fifth day, Fishes and Birds. 

Sixth day, Beasts and Creeping Things, and Man. 

Seventh day, Nothing. God rested. 



The Story of How Adam and Eve Sinned. 

You remember that God put Adam and Eve in a pretty garden. 
There they lived very happily. They never quarreled with each 
other; they were never sick nor in pain. Adam worked in the 
beautiful garden, but not so hard as to tire himself. 

But there was one tree of which they were forbidden to eat the 
fruit. It was called " The tree of knowledge of good and evil." 

God had said, that if Adam ate of it he should die. Adam and 
Eve might eat of all the other trees in the garden. 




THE BEAUTIFUL HOME LOST THROUGH SIN. 



(43) 



44 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



Do you not think that they had fruit enough without eating- 
of the tree of knowledge of good and evil ? They did not wish to 
eat of it, as God had told them not. They loved God. He was 

their friend, and 
used to walk and 
talk with them in 
the garden. Now 
you shall hear how 
Adam and Eve grew 
wicked. 

You know that 
there are a great 
many wicked an- 
gels ; one of them 
is called "Satan," 
and he is the prince 
of the wicked an- 
gels. Satan hated 
Adam and Eve, and 
wished to make 
them unhappy ; so 
he thought, " I will 
try and persuade 
them to eat that 
fruit which God has 
told them not to 
eat." Then he dis- 
guised himself in 
the body of a ser- 
pent and came into 
the garden. 

He saw Eve ; he pretended to be kind, and said to her, " Hath 
God indeed said, you shall not eat of every tree in the garden?" 

But she said, " God has told us not to eat of the fruit of the 
tree in the midst of the garden, and that if we do we shall die." T 




ADAM AND EVE DRIVEN FROM THE CxARDBN OF EDEN. 




EVE AND HER TWO BOYS. 



(45, 



4 6 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



But the serpent said, "No; you shall not die: but this fruit will 

make you wise like God." 

The woman was afraid to eat ; but she looked, and thought the 

fruit good ; she looked again, and thought it beautiful ; and she said 

to herself, "I should 
like to be wise." So 
she took the fruit 
and gave some to 
Adam. 

Sad was that 
hour ! no more 
happy days for 
Adam and Eve ! 
They had grown 
naughty; they 
knew they had done 
wrong; they were 
afraid of God. Soon 
they heard His 
voice in the garden 
and they went and 
hid themselves 
among the thick 
trees. 

But God saw 
them, for He can 
see everywhere. 

So He called 
and said, " Adam, 
where art thou ? " 
Then Adam and 
Eve came from 

under the trees. God said to Adam, "Have you eaten the fruit 

that I told you not to eat?" And Adam said, "It was this woman 

who asked me to eat the fruit." 




CAIN SLAYS ABEL. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 47 

And God said to Eve, " What is this thou hast done?" 

And Eve said, " The serpent deceived me and I did eat." 

God was angry with them, but most of all with the serpent, and 
said he should be punished forever, and that he should always crawl 
upon the ground and eat dust. 

And God said to Adam, " You shall work hard, and dig the 
ground : thorns and thistles shall grow : you shall have bread to eat ; 
but you shall be obliged to work so hard that drops of sweat shall 
often stand upon your forehead : you shall be sad while you live, 
and at last you shall die : your body was made of dust, and it shall 
turn into dust again." 

What great punishments these were ! How sad Adam and Eve 
must have felt when they heard them ! But this was not all ; they 
were not allowed to stay in the pretty garden. God drove them 
out, and would not let them come into the garden again ; so He 
placed an angel with a fiery sword to stand near it ; yet God showed 
His pity by giving them clothes made of skins of beasts. They 
had tried to make clothes of the leaves of the trees, but God gave 
them better clothes. 

It was not so pleasant outside of the garden. A great many weeds 
and thistles grew there, while in the garden were fruits and flowers. 

Adam was forced to dig the ground till he was hot and tired, for 
he could not always find fruit on the trees. 



The Sad Story of Cain and Abel. 

After Adam and Eve were turned out of the garden they had 
two little children ; their names were Cain and Abel. 

They were obliged to work hard, like Adam their father. Cain 
dug the ground, and planted trees, and reaped corn. Abel took care 
of the sheep ; he was a shepherd. 

Now I will tell you how Cain and Abel behaved toward God. 

God did not walk and talk with people then, as he had done 
in the garden ; but He did speak sometimes, and He allowed people 
to pray to Him. 



48 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

He told them to heap up stones (this heap was called an altar), 
and then to put some wood on the altar; then to take a lamb, or 
a kid, and to bind it with a rope to the altar ; then to take a knife, 
and to kill the lamb ; and then to burn it on the altar. Doing this 
was called "offering a sacrifice," and God commanded this because 
of the sin of Adam and Eve in eating the forbidden fruit. 

Abel brought lambs and offered them up to God ; and he 
thought of God's promise, so God was pleased with Abel, and with 
his sacrifice But Cain did not obey God, he brought some fruit 
instead of a lamb ; and God was angry with Cain, and did not like 
his sacrifice. 

Then Cain was very angry and hated Abel, because he was 
envious of him. 

Then God spoke to Cain and said, "Why are you angry? If 
you will love and serve Me, I shall be pleased with you; but if 
not, you shall be punished." 

Still Cain went on in wickedness. Now, hear what he did at 
last. One day he was talking with Abel in a field, when he rose 
up and killed him. 

Abel's blood was spilt upon the ground, and he was the first 
man that ever died. So Cain began by hating Abel, and ended by 
killing him, though he was his brother. 

vSoon Cain heard the voice of God calling him. God said, 
" Where is your brother Abel ? " 

"I know not," answered wicked Cain; "am I my brother's 
keeper?" 

But God said, " I have seen your brother's blood upon the 
ground ; and you are cursed. A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou 
be on the earth." 

Then Cain said unto God, " My punishment is greater than I 
can bear! Oh, let me not be killed!" 

God said, " You shall not be killed, but you shall go to a place 
far off." 

So Cain went and lived a great way off, and built houses for 
himself and his children. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 49 

So Adam and Eve lost both their sons ; for Cain went a great 
way off, and Abel died. 

Bnt God had pity on Adam and Eve, and gave them another 
son, who was made good by God's Spirit ; he was called Seth. 



Story of Enoch, the Good Man, Who Did Not Die. 

The children of Seth feared God ; and God loved them, and 
called them His children. 

Seth had a son, and he had a son, and he had a son, and so 
on — till at last Noah was born. 

How many fathers and sons — one after another— came between 
Adam and Noah ? 

There were ten. 

Adam was the first father in this line, and Noah was the last 
son. 

All their names are written in Genesis V. 

Here is a list of these ten. They all lived to be very, very 
old. No one lives now as long as they did. 

Years he lived. 

Adam, 930 

Seth, . 912 

Enos, 905 

Cainan, 910 

Ma-ha-la-le-el, 895 

Jared, 962 

Enoch, 365 

Me-thu-se-lah, 969 

Lamech, 777 

Noah, 950 

Of all these, who lived the longest ? 

Look and see. 

Methuselah. 

If he had lived only thirty-one years more he would have 
been a thousand. 

Lamech and Noah were both prophets. When Noah was a 
baby, Lamech prophesied that he would be a comfort, and called 
4 



5 o MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

him Noah, which means " Rest ; " and Noah was indeed a " RKST, ,, 
or comfort, for through him the Saviour was born at last. 

Who lived the shortest time on the earth of any of the ten ? 

It was Enoch, the seventh from Adam. The life of Enoch 
was very holy. He walked with God. This means that his heart 
was with God wherever he went and whatever he did. It was 
just as if he had been walking beside God, with his hand in His, 
listening to what God said and trying to please Him and obey Him. 

Observe, it is said of all the ten but one, " He died." But 
this is not said of Enoch. It is said of him, " He was not, for 
God took him." He took him up to heaven without dying. 



Story of the Great Flood that Covered the Whole Earth. 

Cain had a great many children ; and so had Seth. 

At last Adam and Eve died, and Cain died, and Seth died; 
but still there were a great many people in the world, and they 
became very wicked. 

God was very angry with the wicked people, and He deter- 
mined to punish them. 

God said to Noah, " I shall make it rain so much that all people 
shall be drowned, except you, and your wife, and your children." 
Then God told Noah to make a great ark. An ark is like a boat 
or a ship. Noah made a very great ark, which would float upon 
the top of the water when God should drown the wicked people. 

Noah made the ark of wood. He cut down many trees, and 
cut boards, and fastened them together. He made one door in the 
ark, and one little window at the top. 

Noah told the people that God was going to drown the world, 
and advised them to leave off their wickedness. 

But they would not mind. Still they went on eating and 
drinking, and not thinking of God nor trying to please Him. 

God did not choose that all the beasts, and birds, and insects 
should be drowned ; so He desired Noah to get some birds of every 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



5i 



sort, and some beasts of every sort, and some insects of every sort, 
and to bring them into the ark. 

All these went into the ark ; for God made them gentle and 
obedient. Then Noah himself went in, with his wife, his three sons 
and their wives. 
This made eight 
people in the ark, 
and they alone were 
saved from the flood. 
But Noah did not 
shut the door: God 
shut the door, and 
Noah knew that he 
must not open it till 
God bid him. 

Then it began 
to rain. It rained 
all day and all 
night. What did 
the wicked people 
think now ? How 
they must have 
wished that they 
had minded Noah ! 
If they climbed 
trees, the water soon 
reached to the tops ; 
if they went up 
high mountains, as 
high as the clouds, 
the water rose as 
high as they : for 
it rained forty days and forty nights. All beasts, and birds, and 
men, and children died, except those that were in the ark. 

At last nothing was to be seen but water, and the ark floating 




GOING INTO THE ARK. 






52 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



upon the top of the water. Noah and his family lived in the ark 
almost a year. 

A long while after it had left off raining, Noah wished to know 
whether the waters had dried up. He went among his birds, and 

chose a raven and 
let it out of the 
window. A raven 
is a fierce bird. It 
did not like the ark, 
and though there 
were no trees to be 
seen, nothing but 
water, yet the raven 
would not go back 
to Noah, but went 
on flying night and 
day over the water. 
When Noah 
saw that the raven 
did not come back, 
he went again 
among his birds, 
and chose a dove. 
The dove is a very 
gentle bird. Noah 
put it out at the 
window ; and when 
it saw nothing but 
water, the dove 
came back to the 
ark. Noah knew 
the: FtooD. w h en his bird had 

come back (perhaps it pecked at the window), and he put out his 
hand and pulled it in. Noah waited seven days, then he sent the 
dove out again ; and this time it saw some trees : yet it did not 




MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



53 



he waited in 
ark till God 



stay, but plucked off a leaf with its beak and came back to Noah. 
Noah must have loved this good little dove. 

He waited seven days more, and then he sent out the dove 
again, and this time it did not come back. Now Noah knew that 
the earth was dry, 
but 
the 
told him to go out. 

At last God 
said, " Go out of 
the ark, you and 
your wife, your 
three sons, and their 
three wives, and the 
birds, and the 
beasts, and all the 
creeping things.' ' 

When the door 
was opened the 
beasts came out. 
How glad the sheep 
must have been to 
lie down again upon 
the soft grass, and 
the goats to climb 
the high hills ! 

Noah saw the 
green hills and 
fields again ; but 
where were all the 
wicked people ? He 
would never more 
see their faces. Noah remembered God's goodness in saving him 
from being drowned. He made a heap of stones for an altar, and 
took some beasts and birds, and offered a sacrifice to God. God 




NOAH'S SACRIFICE, AND THE RAINBOW. 



54 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



was pleased with this sacrifice. Then God made a very kind 
promise to Noah. He said, " I will never drown the world again. 
When it rains do not think there will be a flood. Look tip in the 
sky after the rain, and you will see a bow. That shall be the 

sign that I remem- 
ber my promise." 




brave, 
Many 
"The 



Nimrod the Mighty 
Hunter, and the 
Building of the 
Tower of Babel. 

Noah had three 
sons, whose names 
were Shem, Ham 
and Japheth. After 
the flood, they had 
many children, and 
the earth became 
full of people again. 
But these people 
were no better than 
those before the 
flood, who had been 
drowned. 

The most fam- 
ous man in those 
times was Nimrod. 
He was the grand- 
son of Ham, the 
wicked son of Noah. 
Nimrod was a very 

strong and clever man. His delight was hunting wild beasts. 

men followed Nimrod in his hunting, and they called him, 

mighty hunter before the Lord." 



HAM DERIDING HIS FATHER. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



55 



Though they said this, Nimrod was a great enemy of the Lord. 

These hunters went about the earth far and wide. At last they 
came to a great plain, very flat and wide, near the great river Euphrates. 

The plain was called the land of Shinar. There this multitude 
of men settled them- 
selves to dwell. No 
doubt it was a fruit- 
ful, pleasant and 
shady place, or they 
would not have 
chosen it for their 
dwelling-place. 

Of course they 
must at first have 
lived in tents on the 
plain. But they 
soon wished to build 
houses. They found 
no stones there ; but 
they knew how to 
make bricks of the 
clay under their 
feet. They said to 
one another, " Let 
us make bricks, and 
burn them well." 
They dug up the 
clay, made them in 
the shape of bricks, 
and then piling 
them together, 
made a fire in the 
midst. There was a sticky substance on the ground called slime, 
or bitumen, and this served instead of mortar to join the bricks 
together. 




BUILDING THE TOWER OF BABEL. 



56 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

The builders set about very diligently to build their houses. 
But all the time they had a very wicked thought in their hearts ; 
it was a proud and rebellious thought. They wished to build a 
great city, and live altogether in that place. They hoped that they 
should be counted very great, and that all people would be afraid of 
them. To make their city look terrible, they meant to build a very 
high tower, that might seem to reach into the clouds. 

But the Lord had determined that they should be scattered 
abroad, and what the Lord determines must be done. 

He knew that it would be a bad thing for so many wicked people 
to live together, and to help each other in doing wickedness. 

God's plan for stopping the building of the city was by making 
the men forget their own language, and speak different words which 
the others could not understand. On this account they could not 
help each other in their work. The Lord had put confusion in their 
minds, and then all was confusion and disorder in their doings. They 
were obliged to leave off building the city. But they had already 
built some of it, and that part they called " Confusion," or " Babel." 

They went different ways, and settled in different countries. 

Thus the Lord scattered them abroad upon the face of all the earth. 

This city of Babel was afterward called Babylon, and became a 
very wicked city. It is believed that the tower was called the temple 
of Belus, or Baal ; and that Baal was worshiped there. 

It was a long while before this city became very great. At last 
it became the greatest city in the world, and the most wicked. 

But where is Bab}^lon now? It is utterly destroyed. 

Where Babel was built, there is nothing but a heap of rubbish ; 
and where wicked men dwelt, there is now nothing but owls and 
ravens, and the wild beasts of the desert. 

Turn to Isa. xiv. 23, 24, and read God's sentence upon Babylon. 



The Beautiful Story of Abraham. 

Noah's sons had many children, and they had many children,, 
and at last there were a great many people in the world. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



57 



Most of the people in the world worshiped idols instead of the 
trne God. Sometimes the idols were made of wood, sometimes of 
stone, or silver, or gold. 

Then God said, " I will choose one man, and teach him to love 
Me, and to be My 
servant." Now 
there was a man 
called Abraham. 
His father and his 
friends worshiped 
idols. God said to 
Abraham, " Leave 
your home and 
your friends, and 
go to a country 
which I will show 
you, and I will 
bless you and take 
care of 3'ou." 

Abraham d i d 
not know where 
God would tell him 
to go, yet he went 
because God told 
him to go. Abra- 
ham was obedient. 

Abraham lived 
in a tent, moving 
from place to place ; 
for he had to travel 
a great many miles 
over high hills and 
wide rivers. At last he came to a beautiful country, full of trees 
and flowers, and grass and corn. This was the place that God chose 
Abraham should live in. It was the country called Canaan. 




ABRAHAM BUILDING AN ALTAR TO GOD. 



58 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Abraham still lived in a tent. Sometimes lie made a heap of 
stones, called an altar, and offered sacrifices of beasts to God. He 
never worshiped idols ; but all the people in Canaan did. 

God often spoke to Abraham, and said, " I will bless you, and 
take care of you, and no one shall hurt you." God was pleased 
that Abraham had left his own home when He told him; and 
God called him His friend. 

Abraham had a nephew, named Lot, who went to live in 
Sodom. This Sodom was a very wicked city, and God determined 
to destroy it for its wickedness. One evening He sent two angels 
to warn Lot to flee from that city before it was burned. They 
even took him by the hand and hurried him away, as also Lot's 
wife and daughters. When they led them out of the city, they 
pointed to a mountain and said, "Escape for thy life; look not 
back." But Lot's wife did look back, and God punished her dis- 
obedience by turning her into a pillar of salt. Sodom, and three 
other cities of the plain, were destroyed by fire from heaven. 



Abraham Receives a Promise from God and Entertains Three 

Angels. 

Abraham's wife was named Sarah, and they lived in a 
tent in the land of Canaan. They had no little child. Abra- 
ham was a very old man, and Sarah was a very old woman. 
Abraham was almost one hundred years old, and Sarah was nearly 
ninety. 

One night God said to Abraham, " Come out of your tent, and 
look up at the sky. What do you see ? " 

The sky was full of stars, more than could be counted. And 
God said, " You shall have a great many grandchildren, and great- 
grandchildren, and they shall have more children, and they shall 
have more children, till there are as many children as there are 
stars in the sky; and they shall live in the land of Canaan, and 
the wicked people shall be turned out of it." 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



59 



Now Abraham had not even one little child ; yet he believed 
that God would do as He had promised. It was very right of 
Abraham to believe all that God said : for God always speaks the 
truth and keeps His 
word. 

One day Abra- 
ham was sitting in 
his tent. It was 
about twelve o'clock 
in the day, and it 
was very hot indeed; 
but the tent was 
under a tree. Abra- 
ham looked up, and 
he saw three men a 
little way off. He 
ran to meet them, 
and bowed down, 
and said to one of 
the men, " My lord, 
pray come and rest 
yourself, and let me 
bring a little water 
to wash your feet, 
and a little bread 
for you to eat, and 
then you can go on 



your journey.' 



And 




LOT'S WIFE TURNED INTO A PILLAR OF SALT. 



the men said that 

they would rest 

themselves. Who 

do you think these men were ? They were angels, though they 

looked like men. They had come from heaven with a message 

from God to Abraham. Angels are often near us though we cannot 

see them. 



60 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

The angels sat outside the tent, under the shade of the tree. 
Sarah was in the tent. Abraham said to Sarah, " Take some flour>. 
and make some cakes, and bake them very quickly." Then Abraham 
ran to his cattle, and took a fat calf, and said to one of his servants, 
" Kill it, and roast it quickly." 

When it was ready, Abraham brought some butter, and some 
milk, and the cakes, and the calf, and spread the dinner under the 
tree. The three men began to eat, and Abraham stood by them. 

While they were eating, they said to Abraham, " Where is 
Sarah, your wife ? " And Abraham said, " She is in the tent." Then 
one of the men said, " Sarah shall have a son." 

Sarah heard what the angel said, and she could not believe that 
she would really have a child new she was so very old : so she 
laughed to herself. 

Do you think that God remembered His promise ? The next 
year Sarah had a son. His name was Isaac. He was a good child, 
and God loved him. Abraham and Sarah were much pleased with 
their little son. 



Abraham is Commanded to Sacrifice Isaac, 

Isaac grew up to be a fine lad. He lived in a tent, as his 
father and mother did. 

They all three loved God, and loved each other very much. 
It was a happy little family. 

Now you know that Abraham had a great many things. He 
had cows and asses, sheep and goats, tents and servants, silver and 
gold. But he had one thing that he loved more than any of these. 
What was that ? His son, his dear son, Isaac. He loved him 
more than everything else that he had. 

Yet there was one person whom Abraham loved better, even 
better still, and that was God. Why ought Abraham to love God 
better than all ? Because God had given him all he had. 

At last, God said He would try Abraham, to see whether he 
loved Him more than anything in the world ; more even than he 




SARAH, ABRAHAM'S WIFE. 



(61) 



62 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



loved his son Isaac. You have heard how Abraham used to burn 
lambs upon altars. Now God said to Abraham, " Take your dear 
son Isaac, and offer him up on an altar in a place that I will 

show you." 

Was not this 
a very hard thing 
for Abraham to do ? 
But Abraham 
wished to do all God 
told him ; because 
he loved God so 
much. So Abraham 
cut down some wood 
to burn ; he put the 
wood upon an ass, 
and he told two of 
his servants and 
Isaac to come with 
him. He left Sarah 
in the tent at home. 
They all four 
walked on for three 
days ; at last they 
saw a high hill a 
great way off. Abra- 
ham knew that was 
the place where he 
was to build the 
altar. So he said 
to his servants, 
" Stay down here 
with the ass, while I and the lad go and worship God on the top of 
the hill." He took the wood off the ass, and bound it round Isaac 
with a rope. Then he took some fire in one of his hands, and a knife 
in the other, and Abraham and Isaac walked up the hill together. 




THE ANGEL APPEARING TO ABRAHAM. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 63 

Isaac did not know that his father was going to offer him as a 
sacrifice ; he thought that his father would offer a lamb. So he said, 
"Father," and Abraham answered, " Here am I, my son." And 
Isaac said, " Here is fire, and wood ; but where is the lamb ? " " My 
son," said Abraham, " God will find a lamb;" but Abraham did not 
tell Isaac that he. was to be the lamb. 

At last they came to the top of the hill. Then Abraham took 
stones, and built an altar; and he took the wood off Isaac's back, 
and laid it on the altar. Now the time was come when Isaac must 
know who was to be the lamb. The rope that had bound the wood 
w T as fastened round his hands and feet, and he was laid upon the 
wood like a lamb. 

Then Abraham took the knife, and lifted up his hand to kill 
Isaac ; when he heard a voice calling, u Abraham, Abraham ! " It 
was an angel speaking from heaven. The angel said, " Do not kill 
your son, nor hurt him at all ; for now God knows that you love 
Him, because you have given Him your only son." 

How glad was Abraham to untie the rope that bound Isaac, 
and to find that he need not sacrifice him ! 

Abraham saw a ram caught in the bushes by the horns ; and 
he went and took it, and offered it up as a sacrifice instead of 
Isaac. 

Abraham thanked God very much for having given him back 
his son, and the angel called to him out of heaven again and said, 
" God is much pleased with you, and He will bless you, and all 
your children, and grandchildren, and their children, and one of 
your children's children shall make all people happy." 

Whom did the angel mean ? He meant that Jesus would 
one day be a child, and make people happy and take them to 
heaven. 

When the angel had done speaking, Abraham and Isaac went 
down the hill together ; there was no wood now on Isaac's back. 

They found the servants where they had left them with the ass; 
then they all went back together to Sarah. 



6 4 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



The Story of Isaac and Rebekah. 

Abraham and Sarah were now very old. At last Sarah died, 
and Abraham wished to bury her, but he had not a piece of ground 

in Canaan to bury 
her in ; so he gave 
some of his silver 
to the people of 
Canaan and bought 
a field. The field 
was full of trees, 
and there was a 
cave in it. Abra^ 
ham took the dead 
body of Sarah and 
put it in the cave. 
At last Abraham 
died, and Isaac his 
son buried him in 
the same cave 
where Sarah lay. 

But before his 
death, Abraham 
sent his servant to 
the city of Nahor, 
to look for a wife 
for his son ; for he 
wanted Isaac to get 
a wife from his own 
country and kin- 
dred. So this ser- 
vant went on his 
errand, taking with him ten camels. It was evening when he reached 
Nahor, and he stopped near a well, outside the city walls. Many 
young women were just then coming to draw water from this well. 




REBEKAH GIVES ABRAHAMS SERVANT WATER TO DRINK. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



65 



Then Abraham's servant prayed that God would show him which 

one was to be Isaac's wife ; and he prayed that it might be the one 

who was willing to give him a drink and also to water his camels. 

Even while he prayed, a beautiful young woman, named Rebekah, 

came to the well. 

When the man 

asked her, she freely 

gave him a drink 

from her pitcher, 

and she also watered 

his camels. He 

knew then that the 

Lord had sent her. 

So Rebekah became 

Isaac's wife, and 

lived in the tent 

where Sarah used 

to live. 

Isaac and Re- 
bekah had two sons. 
They were called 
Esau and Jacob. 
They were twins ; 
but they were quite 
different from each 
other. Their faces 
were unlike, and 
their hearts were 
unlike. Esau was 
wicked from a child ; 
but Jacob w a s 
good, and loved God. 
When Esau was a man he became a hunter. He had a bow and 
arrows ; and he would go into the woods and shoot birds and stags ; 
he used to bring them home and dress them for dinner ; and he gave 
5 




AR DRIVEN FROM HOME- 



66 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



some of the nice meat to his father Isaac. It was not wrong in 
Esau to hunt, and to cook the meat ; but his heart was wicked : he 
did not care for God ; and he loved meat and drink more than God. 

Jacob was a shep- 
herd ; he stayed at 
home near his tent 
with his father and 
mother, and his 
sheep and goats. He 
loved God, and 
prayed very often. 

Isaac loved 
Esau better than he 
did Jacob, because 
he was sorry for his 
wickedness and 
wanted him to re- 
pent and be a good 
boy. 

But Rebekah 
loved Jacob, and 
God loved him ; but 
God did not love 
Esau. Do you think 
that Esau and Jacob 
loved one another ? 
They did not; 
Jacob sometimes be- 
haved unkindly to 
Esau ; and so Esau 
hated Jacob and 
wished to kill him. One day Esau said, "My father will soon die, 
and then I will kill my brother Jacob." Rebekah heard that Esau 
meant to kill Jacob some day, so she was frightened, and called 
Jacob and said to him, " Your brother Esau means to kill you. 




ESAU SELLS HIS BIRTH-RIGHT. 






MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 67 

This is what you must do : go to your uucle, who lives a great 
way off, and stay with him. Soon Esau will leave off being 
angry : then I will send for you to come home." 



Jacob's Wonderful Dream. 

Jacob did as his mother advised. He took leave of his father 
Isaac, and Isaac blessed him before he went. Jacob did not ask 
his father to give him anything. He took no servant with him, 
no sheep, nor goats — not even an ass to ride upon. He took only 
a stick in his hand, and he set out upon his journey. Jacob felt 
very sad. He was a poor stranger, and he was going to a far 
country which he had never seen. 

He had no tent nor house to sleep in by the way ; so when 
night came he took -some stones for a pillow, and lay down to sleep 
on the ground. There were bears and wolves in that country ; but 
•God took care of him. God knew how sad he was ; and He made 
him dream the sweetest dream that you ever heard. 

In his sleep, Jacob saw a great many steps reaching up to the 
sky, and on the steps beautiful angels ; some going up, and some 
coining down ; and at the top he saw God Himself. Then Jacob 
heard a voice, and God spake to him and said, " I am the God of 
Abraham and of Isaac, and I will take care of you wherever you 
go ; and I will bring you home again ; and your children shall 
live in this land of Canaan, where you are sleeping." 

Then Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and now his heart was 
glad : he knew that God and His angels were watching over him. 
He wished never to forget the place where he had dreamed this 
sweet dream ; so he took the stones which had been his pillow and 
made them into a heap. " Now," he thought, " I shall be able to 
find the place when God lets me come back to Canaan, as He has 
promised." He could not offer a sacrifice upon the stones, because 
he had no lambs, but he poured some oil upon them, and he prayed 
to the Lord, and said, " Since God will take care of me, and give 



68 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



me bread to eat, and clothes to wear, and bring me home again, 
He shall be my God, and this stone shall be God's house." 

Jacob felt sure that God would take care of him, and bring 







ISAAC BLESSES JACOB. 

him home again, because He had promised that He would. God 
takes care of you and all good little children. He sends His angels 
down from heaven to watch over you, as they did over Jacob. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



69 



Jacob's Love for Rachel. 

Then Jacob went on his journe}*. He traveled for a great 
man}' days ; at last he came to a place where there was a great 
deal of grass. In 
that place there was 
a well, and a great 
stone npon the top 
of the well. Many 
sheep were round 
the well ; and some 
men were with the 
sheep. These men 
were shepherds. 
There was very 
little water in that 
country, and Jacob 
was glad to see a 
well and plenty of 
good, cool water. 

He said to the 
shepherds, " Do you 
know a man called 
Laban?" — (That 
was the name of 
Jacob's uncle.) 

"Yes," said 
they, "we do." 

Then Jacob 
said, "Is he well?" 

The shepherds 
answered, " He is 
well ; and here is his daughter Rachel coining with the sheep." 

Jacob was very glad to hear this, for Rachel was Jacob's cousin. 
He ran to her and kissed her, and he sobbed and wept for joy. 




RACHEL AT THE WELL. 



7 o 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



People sometimes cry for 
for a long while, and he 



joy. Jacob 
was glad, to see 



Rachel did not know who Jacob was till he said, 




JACOB ARRIVES AT THE HOUSE OF I.ABAN. 



had not seen a friend 

his beautiful cousin. 

" I am your cousin, 

and have come from 

a great way off." 

Then Rachel 
ran, and said to her 
father Laban, " My 
cousin Jacob has 
come : I found him 
sitting by a well." 

Then L a b a n 
was glad, and ran 
out to meet Jacob, 
and kissed him and 
said, " You must 
come to my house : 
I am your uncle." 
Jacob told Laban 
that he would take 
care of his sheep : 
and so Jacob was 
Laban's servant. 
Jacob was a good 
shepherd, and sat 
up to guard the 
sheep at night from 
lions and bears. He 
cared not for the 
heat by day nor 
the cold by night. 



Laban had another daughter named Leah, and he gave both Leah 
and Rachel to Jacob to be his wives. So Jacob had two wives. No 
one may have two wives now, but then it was permitted. God gave 
Jacob a great many little children. I will not tell you their names 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 71 

because they were so many. Jacob lived a long while in tents with 
his wives and his little children. At first he took care of Laban's 
sheep only. At last Laban gave Jacob some sheep and goats of his 
own. Jacob had plenty of bread to eat and raiment to wear, as God 
had promised ; for God always keeps His promises. 

But Jacob could not forget his father and mother, and Canaan, 
where he had lived when he was a little boy. He knew that God 
had promised to give the land of Canaan to Abraham's children, and 
Isaac's children, and to his own children ; and he wished to live there 
again. 

I will now write down the names of the good men who first 
lived in Canaan, and I will write down the names of their wives. 
Abraham , Sarah . 

1 

Isaac, Rebekah. 

I 

Jacob, Leah and Rachel. 



The Wonderful Story of Joseph. 

Jacob saw his old father Isaac again : and then Isaac died, and 
Jacob and Esau buried him in that same cave where Abraham and 
Sarah had been buried. They will all rise together at the last day : 
for Isaac wished to live in the country that is better than Canaan ; 
that is, in heaven. 

Esau did not live in the land of Canaan ; but Jacob chose to live 
there with his children and his cattle. 

All the sons were grown up to be men when Benjamin was 
still a baby. Joseph was next youngest to Benjamin. He was a 
big boy, and he was the best of all the children. 

Jacob gave a beautiful present to this dear son. It was a very 
pretty coat made of many colors, — yellow, blue, green, pink, red, 
purple ; and Joseph used to wear it. The brothers were very envious 
when they saw this coat. 



72 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



... . «■ 



One night Joseph had a strange dream. He thought he was in a 
field of corn with all his brothers, and that they were making up 
large bundles of corn called sheaves. He thought that each of his 
brothers made a sheaf, and that all his brothers' sheaves bowed down 

to his sheaf. Joseph 
thought this a very 
strange dream, and 
he told it to his 
brothers. 

But when they 
heard it they were 
very angry and said, 
" We suppose you 
mean that we shall 
bow down to you, 
though you are 
younger than we 
are ! " And so they 
hated him more 
than they had done 
before. 

Soon after Jos- 
eph had another 
strange dream. He 
thought he saw the 
sun, moon and 
eleven stars in the 
sky, and that they 
bowed down to him. 
This dream was 
more strange than; 
the other; and he 
His father was 



m 



' ' ■> i* 



i. :: : : 




MEETING OE ESAU AND JACOB. 

told it to his father, as well as to his brothers 



surprised, and said, " Does the sun mean me 
mother, and the stars your brothers, and 



we 



and the moon your 
shall bow down to 



74 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

you ? " Yet Jacob thought that God had sent the dream to Joseph, and 
would make it come true ; but the brothers were more and more angry. 

Now Joseph's brethren had a great many sheep and goats to 
take care of, and there was not enough grass for them all near the 
tents, so they took their flocks a great way off, that they might eat 
fresh grass. Joseph stayed at home with his old father ; and Ben- 
jamin stayed at home, because he was quite a little child. 

At last Jacob wished to know how his sons were ; so he said 
to Joseph, " Go and see your brothers, and come back and tell me 
how they are, and how the flocks are." 

Joseph was always ready to do what his father wished ; so he 
set out on his way. He took no ass to ride upon, and no servant ; but 
putting on his pretty coat, he wished his dear father good-bye. He 
little thought how long it would be before he should again see that 
dear father's face. 

Joseph went a great way, but could not find his brothers. At 
last a man saw him, and said, " Whom seek you ? " 

And Joseph answered, " I seek my brethren. Can you tell me 
where they are feeding their flocks ? " 

Then the man told him which way they had gone. 

Joseph took a great deal of pains to find his brothers. 

Now the brothers saw Joseph coming when he was very far off. 
They knew that it was Joseph ; and they said to each other, " Here 
this dreamer comes : let us kill him and throw him into a deep hole, 
and tell our father that a lion or a bear has eaten him up ! " 

The brothers were going to kill him, but one of them, named 
Reuben, said, " Do not kill him, but only throw him into a pit." 
This brother was a little kinder than the rest, and meant to take him 
out of the pit and bring him back to Jacob. The brothers agreed not 
to kill him. But first they took off his pretty coat. 

They threw him into the deep, dark pit ; and there he lay, hungry 
and thirsty and weary — without one drop of water to quench his 
thirst. How it must have grieved Joseph to think that he should 
not return to his dear father, and that his father perhaps would 
think he was dead. 




JOSEPH SOLD BY H 



76 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

The wicked brothers cared not for his groans, but they sat down 
and began to eat their dinner. 

God saw them from His throne in heaven, and was much dis- 
pleased. 



Joseph's Brothers Sell Him as a Slave. 

While the brothers were eating their dinner they looked up and 
saw some people coming along. As the people came nearer they saw 
camels, and men riding on them. I will tell you who these men 
were. 

They lived in a country a great way off, and they had been to 
some hills, where very sweet things grew, called spice and balm. 
They were going to carry them to a country a great way off, and sell 
them for money. 

This was their way of getting their living, and it was a good 
way ; yet they were wicked men, as you will see. 

One of the brothers, called Judah, said, u Let us sell Joseph to 
these men : for it would be better to sell him than to kill him : we 
shall get some money if we sell him : and it would be very cruel to 
kill Joseph, as he is our brother." 

Yet, was it not very cruel to sell Joseph ? This brother was not 
really kind. The other brothers said that they thought it was a good 
plan to sell Joseph. So they called to the men, and asked them if 
they would buy a young boy. 

And the men said, " Yes." 

" How much will you give us for him ? " said the brothers. 

" We will give you twenty pieces of silver," said the men. 

Then Joseph's brothers pulled him out of the pit. Perhaps 
he thought they were going to let him return to his father. 

Ah ! poor Joseph ! He soon found that his brothers were not 
going to be kind. The men and the camels were waiting outside 
the pit. The men paid the money to the brothers, and then they 
took Joseph and carried him away with them. 



?8 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

When he was gone the brothers said, " What shall we tell our 
father when he asks us where Joseph is ? — we will not say we have 
seen Joseph, but we will say we have found his coat on the ground ! " 

Then the brothers killed one of their young goats, and dipped 
the pretty coat in the blood. " We will show our father this 
bloody coat," said they. So they carried the coat home, all cov- 
ered with blood ; and they took the money also for which they had 
sold Joseph. 

Old Jacob had been thinking of his sons while they were gone. 
How glad he must have been when he heard the bleating of their 
sheep, and knew they had come home ! He must have looked to see 
whether Joseph was with them. But no — his sons came up to him. 
In their hands they held the bloody coat. They showed it to Jacob, 
and said, " We have found this— do you think it is your son's coat, 
or not ? " 

Jacob knew that coat, and said, " It is my son's coat : a lion or 
a bear has torn Joseph to pieces, and has eaten him up ! " 

How Jacob wept for his darling child ! How sorry he was that 
he had sent him alone to seek his brothers ! The wicked brothers 
tried to comfort Jacob, and said, " Do not weep so much ; " but 
Jacob would not hear. 

" No ; I shall die : and then I shall be with Joseph : for I 
never shall be happy any more ! " 

How sad it was to see this poor old man, leaning on his stick, 
his gray hair, and his face full of sadness, while he thought that 
his dear boy was eaten up by the lions or the bears ! His little 
Benjamin was a comfort to him. Jacob would never let him go 
away, nor would he trust him with his brothers, though he did not 
know how wicked they had been. These brothers first had envied 
Joseph, then they had sold him, and then they had told a lie to 
hide their sin. 

Children sometimes try to hide their faults by telling lies, and 
so they make God more angry than He was before. My dear 
children, remember that God always sees you : and that He hates 
liars, and will not let them live with Him in glory. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



79 




The Strange Things That Happened to Joseph in Egypt. 

The men who had bought Joseph took him to a country a 
great way off. It was called Egypt. When they got to Egypt they 
tried to sell him, 
as if he had been 
a horse or a cow. 
In this country, 
where we live, no 
one sells men. In 
some countries men 
are sold, and are 
called slaves : they 
are beaten and 
made to work very 
hard, but are not 
paid any money for 
their labor. 

Poor Joseph 
was sold as a slave. 
Do you not hope 
that a kind man 
bought him ? And 
it was a kind man 
who bought him. 
There was a very 
rich man who knew 
the king, and he 
bought Joseph to be 
his slave. His name 
was Potiphar. He 

! T i-i THE WICKED BROTHERS SELL JOSEPH. 

took Joseph home J 

with him, and Joseph had not very hard work to do. He tried 
to be a good servant. Though he wished very much to be with his 
father, he did not waste his time in fretting, but took great pains 




80 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

to please his master. When he was told to do anything, he did it 
so well that his master was qnite pleased with him. It was God 
that made Joseph able to do his work so well ; and Joseph's master 
knew that it was God that helped him to do things well. I suppose 
that Joseph had told him ; for his master did not know the true 
God, but worshiped idols. 

So Joseph had the care of everything, and all the other servants 
minded what he said : and he might do what he liked when his master 
was out. But Joseph behaved the same as if his master were 
watching him ; for he knew the eye of God was always upon him. 
There are many children who behave ill as soon as their parents 
go out of the room ; such children do not fear God. 

So Joseph had now all he could wish for : but he could not 
forget his father, and his little bab}^-brother Benjamin. As for 
his mother, Rachel, she had died some time before. 

Now you shall hear what a sad thing happened to Joseph. 

Potiphar had a very wicked wife. She wished Joseph to be 
turned out of the house, for Joseph had found out how bad she 
was ; so she did not like to see Joseph. 

This wicked woman said to Potiphar, "Your slave, Joseph, 
that you think so good, is very wicked, and when you are out he 
behaves very ill." Then she told Potiphar of bad things that she 
said Joseph had done. 

Potiphar was so foolish as to believe her, and he fell into a 
great rage and said, "Joseph shall be put into prison." 

So some men took Joseph and brought him to the prison, which 
was in Potiphar's house. 

A prison is a dark place with very little windows, and bars 
of iron before the windows, and gates and bolts. 

Joseph was put into prison ; and his feet were hurt by great 
iron chains, which were fastened round them. 

There were a great many men in the prison, and most of 
them had done very bad things, but Joseph had done nothing 
wrong. God still loved Joseph, and He could make him happy even 
in a prison. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 81 

There was a man who kept the ke}^s, and took care of the 
prisoners : he was called the keeper of the prison. Sometimes 
keepers are very unkind, but God put it into the keeper's heart to 
love Joseph. 

At last the keeper took the chains off Joseph's feet, and allowed 
him to walk about the prison, and take care of the prisoners. The 
keeper found that he could trust him, and that Joseph managed 




A PRISON IN EGYPT. 



And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the 
king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. — Genesis xxxix: 20. 

things well. It was God who made Joseph do everything so well ; 
for God was Joseph's friend, and was always watching over him 
to comfort him. 

Joseph hoped that God would some day let him get out of prison. 



The Butler and the Baker. 

The prison, you remember, was in the house of Potiphar. One 
day Potiphar brought two men to Joseph, and said to him, "Take 



82 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

great care that these men do not get out of prison. I give them 
under your charge." So you see Potiphar thought Joseph could 
be trusted ; perhaps he had found out that Joseph was not so bad 
as he had once thought, — still he did not let Joseph out of prison. 

Pharaoh's butler and the baker had both offended the king ; 
I do not know how, but they had made the king so angry that he 
had said they should be shut up in prison. 

So the king said to Potiphar, the great captain, " Put these men 
into prison." 

Then Potiphar brought them to Joseph, and told him to keep 
them safe. Joseph shut them up in a room together, and gave them 
bread and water every day, and took great care of them. 

One morning, when Joseph came to see them, he observed 
that they looked very sad indeed. So Joseph said to them, " Why 
do you look so very sad ?" 

Then they answered, "We have each had a very strange dream 
to-night, and we think our dreams have some meaning, but we 
cannot find it out ; and there is nobody in the prison who can tell 
us." 

Then Joseph said, " But my God knows all things : He could 
tell me the meaning. Only tell me your dreams." 

The butler told his dream first. He said, " I thought I saw 
a tree such as grapes grow upon — a vine. It had three branches, 
but no grapes. While I was looking, I saw little buds, and they 
turned into grapes, and they grew ripe. I picked the grapes, and 
squeezed them into a cup, and made wine, and then brought the 
cup to the king for him to drink, as I used to do." 

This was the butler's dream, and God told Joseph the meaning 
of it. 

u You saw three branches," said Joseph ; " something will 
happen to you in three days. The king will send for you to be 
his butler again." 

When the baker heard this pleasant meaning he thought that 
his dream would be pleasant too ; so he began to tell it. The baker 
said, " I dreamt that I was carrying three white baskets on my 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 83 

head, the one on the top of the other. In the baskets there was 
baked food, and birds came and picked the food out of the top 
basket." 

The baker thought that Joseph would say, " In three days you 
shall be baker again to the king." But this dream had a sad meaning. 

u Something will happen to you in three days," said Joseph. 
" The king will send for you, and will hang you upon a tree, and 
the birds will pick your flesh off your bones." 

So, while the butler was pleased with what Joseph had told him, 
the poor baker was very sorry, because he knew that he must die. 

In three days the king sent some men to the prison to fetch 
the butler and the baker. It was the king's birthday, and he had 
made a feast for his servants, and he had thought of the butler 
and baker, and had said, " Let the butler come back to me ; and 
let the baker be hanged; I will not forgive him." So now both 
the butler and the baker knew that Joseph had told them the truth. 

But the butler forgot Joseph when he was restored to his 
place in the king's house. I suppose he was thinking of the fine 
things he saw, of eating and drinking, of money and fine clothes, 
and forgot that poor Joseph was in a prison. The butler was 
unkind, and worse than unkind — he was ungrateful. Joseph had 
been kind to him, yet he was not kind in return ; therefore I call him 
ungrateful. 

Poor Joseph waited in vain. No one came to let him out of 
prison. One day passed, then another; summer came, and then 
winter : but Joseph was still a prisoner. Yet God had not forgotten 
him. Why did God make him wait so long ? That he might learn 
to be patient. 



The Wonderful Story of How Joseph Was Released from Prison 
and Became a Great Ruler. 

I have told you of the great king of Egypt. He was the king 
of the country where Joseph was. His name was Pharaoh. He had 
a great many servants, as I told you. He sat upon a throne, wore 



84 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

beautiful clothes, a chain of gold round his neck, a ring upon his 
hand, and a crown of gold upon his head. One night this great 
king had two very strange dreams. I will tell you what they were. 

He thought he was standing by a river, and that seven fat cows 
came out of the river, and began to eat the grass that grew near. 
This was a pleasant sight ; but soon after he saw seven very thin 
cows (more ugly than any cows he had ever seen) come out of the 
river ; and they ate up the seven fat cows ; and yet, after they had 
eaten them, they looked as thin as they did before. Then the king 
awoke. 

But soon he fell asleep, and dreamt that he saw a stalk of corn 
with seven fine ears growing on it. While he was looking he saw 
another stalk, with seven very bad ears of corn on it, and these bad 
^ars ate up the seven good ears. 

These were Pharaoh's two dreams. He thought them very 
strange, and longed to know 7 their meaning. In the morning he told 
the servants to find some people who said they could. tell the mean- 
ing of dreams. A great many men came who pretended to be wise, 
but they could not tell the king the meaning of his dreams. The 
king was very unhappy, but what could he do ? 

At last the butler thought of Joseph ! He had not thought of 
him for a long while, and now he felt sorry. He said to the king, 
" I do remember my faults this day. You know, O King, that you 
were once angry with me and with your baker, and you shut us up 
in prison, in the house of the captain Potiphar. While we were in 
prison, the baker and I each had a dream, and a young man, a 
servant, told us the meaning of our dreams, and said that the baker 
would be hanged and that I should be let out of prison, and so it 
was : the baker was hanged, and you sent for me to be your butler 
again, just as the young man had said." Then Pharaoh told his 
servants to fetch this young man out of prison. 

So the servants came to the prison, and said to the keeper, " We 
have come to fetch Joseph ; the king wants to speak to him." 

When Joseph came into the king's fine house, and stood before 
him, the king said, "I hear that you can tell the meaning of dreams." 



86 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

" It is not I myself," said Joseph, "that can tell the meaning, but 
my God can ; and I know that He will tell the meaning of your 
dreams." Then Pharaoh told Joseph his two dreams — the dream 
about the seven cows and the dream about the seven ears of corn. 

When he had done speaking, Joseph answered, " Both your 
dreams have the same meaning. This is what is going to happen: 
The next seven years a great deal of corn will grow in the fields ; but 
afterward hardly any corn will grow in the fields for seven years. 
The seven fat cows meant the seven years when much corn would 
grow ; and the seven thin cows meant the seven years when very 
little corn would grow. God sent you these dreams, that you might 
know what is going to happen." 

Now what could the king do ? First, there would be a great 
deal of corn, then scarcely any. Could you, my little child, advise 
the king what to do ? Joseph gave him some advice. He said, 
" Save up some of the corn when there is so much, that you may 
have some when there is none growing in the fields. You should 
look for a very wise man, who will save up the corn, and put it into 
large barns ; or the people will die when no corn grows in the fields." 

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "You are so very wise that you 
shall help me to manage all the people in the land. Every one 
shall mind you as they do me, and you shall be the greatest person 
next to me." 

Then Pharaoh took the ring off his hand, and put it on Joseph's 
hand ; and he gave him beautiful clothes like his own, and a gold 
chain to wear round his neck. He gave him a fine chariot to ride in, 
and desired people to bow down when they saw him. 

So Joseph was made a great lord ; but he would not be idle. He 
went about all the country in his chariot to buy corn, and he built 
large barns everywhere, and filled them with corn, and so he did for 
seven years. 

He was very glad he was let out of prison, and he thanked God 
very much. He was not happy because he wore fine clothes ; but he 
was glad to be able to do good to people, by saving up corn. He 
married a wife, and he had two little boys ; yet still he thought of 




THE DESTRUCTION OF PHARAOH'S ARMY 



88 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

his dear old father, and hoped that he should one day see him 
again ; and he thought of little Benjamin, and hoped his brothers 
had not killed him, nor put him in a pit, and he hoped that his 
brothers were sorry for their wickedness. He did not feel angry 
with his brothers. Joseph knew that it was God who had allowed 
them to sell him for a slave, and that God had let them do it that he 
might save up corn in Egypt. 

It is God who makes all things happen ; and God has wise 
reasons for all that He does. If He lets us be sick, it is for some 
good reason. One day we shall know why God let us be sick, or let 
kicked people hurt us, or take away our things. 



Joseph's Brothers Come to Egypt to Buy Corn. 

You have heard, my dear children, how Joseph was made almost as 
great as the king. A great deal of corn grew in the fields next year 
and the year after, and for seven years after the king's dream. But 
then scarcely any corn grew. The poor people came to King Pharaoh 
and said, " We have nothing to eat, and we shall die." Then 
Pharaoh said, u Go to Joseph; he can help you." So the people 
went to Joseph, and he opened his large barns full of corn, and 
sold the corn to the people. 

Among those who came, there were ten men from a far country. 
Each of them had an ass, and on the ass a sack, and in their 
hands they brought money. Who do you think these were ? They 
were Joseph's brothers. When Joseph saw them he remembered 
them, though he had not seen them for twenty years. He knew 
those cruel brothers, who had sold him for twenty pieces of silver. 

Now you shall hear how he behaved to them. 

The brothers thought Joseph was a great lord, and they did 
not know that they had ever seen him before ; for he wore fine 
clothes, and he was grown to be a man, and he had another name, 
which the king had given him. 

So when the ten brothers saw him, they bowed down to the 
ground before him. Then Joseph remembered his dream about the 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 89 

sheaves bowing down to his sheaf, and he saw that God had made 
it come true. 

Joseph felt ready to forgive his brothers ; but he wished first 
to see whether they were sorry for their wickedness, and whether 
the}- loved their father and little Benjamin: so he did not tell them 
who he was. He even pretended to be unkind. He spoke in a 
rough voice and said, "Where do you come from?" 

" From the land of Canaan," the\ T said, " to buy food." . 

But Joseph said he did not believe they spoke the truth. " You 
came," he said, " to see what a bad land this is, with no corn grow- 
ing in it, and you mean to bring some king with soldiers to fight us." 

"No, indeed," said Joseph's brothers, "we do not. We are ten 
poor brothers, and we have come to buy food." 

But Joseph said he would not believe what they said. 

Joseph's brothers answered, " We are all brothers, and once 
there were twelve of us ; but one is dead, and the youngest is with 
our father, who is an old man." They tried to make Joseph believe 
what they said, but he would not : that is, he pretended not to 
believe them. 

At last, Joseph said, " I must see your youngest brother. I 
shall send one of you to fetch him, and I shall keep the rest in 
prison till he comes back with the youngest brother." 

Joseph put them all in prison, and kept them shut up together 
for three days. While they were shut up they had time to think 
of their wickedness to Joseph. The brothers were very much 
frightened : they did not know what Joseph was going to do with 
them. 

At last he came to them in prison and said, " This is what you 
must do, and then you shall live: for I fear God." 

How much surprised the brothers must have been when they 
heard Joseph say that he feared God ! for the other people in 
Egypt worshiped idols. 

Joseph said, " I will only keep one of you shut up in the 
prison, and all the rest may go back, and take corn home with 
you : but when you come again you must bring your youngest 



9 o MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

brother with you, or I shall think that you have not spoken the 
truth : but if you do bring him, I will believe you." 

Then Joseph took one of the brothers, called Simeon, and said 
that he would keep him in prison till the others brought their 
youngest brother with them. So he had Simeon bound with ropes, 
or chains, while the other brothers stood around. 

Then they must have remembered how once Joseph had been 
bound, and sold for a slave. 

Simeon was left alone in the prison, and did not know whether 
his brothers would ever come back, and whether he would ever be let 
out. 

Before the brothers set off to go home, Joseph said to his 
servants, " When you fill those men's sacks with corn, put back 
into their sacks the money that they paid me for it, and give them 
something to eat by the way." Joseph wished his poor brothers 
to have some food by the way. And the servant did as Joseph 
told him ; but Joseph's brethren did not know what the servant had 
done. 

How glad these brothers were to get away from Egypt, and 
to come back to their father and to their little children, who had 
scarcely anything left to eat ! 

When they came home they told their father all that had 
happened. " There was a great lord," they said, " who sold corn to 
the people ; and he spoke very roughly to us, and said that we 
were not come to buy corn, but that we only wanted to see the 
land, that we might bring men to fight the poor, hungry people 
that lived there. He called us ' spies.' We told him that we were 
not spies, but were twelve brothers : — that one was dead, and that 
one was with our father in the land of Canaan. But the lord 
would not believe us, and told us we must bring our youngest 
brother with us ; and he took Simeon, and shut him up in prison, 
and said that he would not let him out till we came back with 
Benjamin." 

Poor old Jacob was very sad when he heard all this. Then 
the brothers began to open their sacks of corn, and they were 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 91 

quite surprised to find their money at the top of their sacks ; but 
they were not pleased, for they thought that some one had put 
the money there to get them into disgrace, and that when they 
went back to Egypt they should be punished for stealing ; so they 
were much frightened. 

They were more afraid than ever of going back to Egypt, and 
of seeing the great lord : yet they wished very much to go, for they 
had brought only a little corn, and they wanted more, and they 
knew that poor Simeon would remain in prison till they went back 
to Egypt. 

How could they persuade Jacob to let Benjamin go? For 
Jacob said, " No, I cannot trust Benjamin with you, lest some 
harm should happen to him. You have taken away two of my 
children, Joseph and Simeon, and you would not bring Benjamin 
back if I were to let him go. If any evil were to happen to him, you 
would bring down 1113^ gray hairs with sorrow to the grave." Jacob 
felt that it would break his heart to lose Benjamin, he loved him so 
very much. 

So the brothers were obliged to stay in Canaan ; for they knew 
it would be of no use to go to Egypt, except Benjamin went with 
them. What trouble now they were in! God was punishing them 
for their wickedness. 



Joseph Makes a Great Feast for His Brothers. 

As the brothers could not persuade Jacob to let Benjamin go 
with them, they were obliged to stay in Canaan. Soon they had 
eaten up all their corn, and none grew in their fields, and what 
could they do for food ? 

Jacob saw how hungry they were, and at last he said, " Go 
again, buy us a little food." 

Then they said, "We cannot go without Benjamin, for the 
man who sold the corn said w r e should not see him unless we 
brought our youngest brother. If you will let Benjamin come with 
us, then we will go." 



92 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Jacob was very unhappy when he heard this, and he said, 
" Why did you tell the man you had a brother ? It was behaving 
very unkindly to me to tell him." 

Then the brothers answered, " The man asked us so many 
questions. He said to us, ' Is your father alive ? Have you another 
brother ? ' Could we think that he would say, i Bring your 
youngest brother ? ' " 

Still Jacob did not like to let Benjamin go. 

One of the brothers (called Judah) said, " I will take care of 
Benjamin, if you will let him go. I promise to bring him back 
to you ; and if I do not I will take all the blame. For we and 
our children shall die if you do not let him come." 

Jacob saw it was of no use to refuse any more, or they would all 
die, and Benjamin too. So he gave Benjamin into the care of Judah. 

But Jacob was afraid of the man being unkind to them, and 
that he would say they had stolen the money. So he said to 
them, " Bring the man a present." 

"Besides," said Jacob, "take the money back that }^ou found in 
your sacks ; take more money in your hands to buy more corn, and 
take Benjamin, and go to the man." 

Jacob's heart was full of pain when he said this. 

Then he began to pray to God. " May God give you mercy 
before the man, and send home Simeon and Benjamin ! " 

When Jacob bade his dear Benjamin good-bye, he thought of 
how he once had parted with Joseph, the day he sent him to look 
for his brothers, when he put on his pretty coat and never returned. 

So they parted from their old father, and their wives and their 
little children, and they set out on their journey. 

They all felt very sad that day. The brothers were frightened. 
They were afraid they should be taken up as thieves when they got 
to Egypt. 

As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he called his chief servant, 
who managed his house, and said to him, " Take those ten men to my 
house, and get a great dinner ready, for they must dine with me 
to-day." 



94 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

The brothers did not hear what Joseph said to the servant. The 
servant came to them, and told them to come with him. So they 
came, and he brought them to Joseph's own house — a fine, large 
house. Yet the brothers were not pleased, but very much frightened. 

" Ah ! " said they to each other, " we are going to be put into 
prison ; and we shall be kept in prison, and be ill-treated and made to 
work hard." 

Then they thought of their poor father, and of what he would do. 

When they got to the door of the house, they came to the 
servant, and said, u O sir, we came here once before to buy a little 
food, and we paid money for it ; but when we got home we opened our 
sacks and found the money in them, and here we have brought it 
back : and we have brought more money to buy more corn. We 
cannot tell who put the money into our sacks." 

The servant answered them kindly, and said, " Fear not, God *is 
your Father — God gave you that money, and put the money into 
your sacks." 

You see the servant knew about God. Who could have taught 
him about God ? The people in Egypt worshiped idols. It must 
have been Joseph who had taught his servant. 

While they were waiting, the servant went and brought poor 
Simeon out of prison. He had been shut up a long while. I hope, 
when he was in prison, that he thought of his having once put 
Joseph in the pit. 

The servant told them that dinner would not be ready till twelve 
o'clock ; and while they were waiting he brought them water to 
wash their feet, and he gave some food to their poor, tired and 
hungry beasts. 

At last Joseph came in from selling the corn, and the brothers 
came into the house, and brought the present in their hand, and 
they bowed down upon the ground. The eleven brothers bowed 
down, as the eleven sheaves had done in the dream. 

This time Joseph spoke very kindly to them. He asked them 
how they were ; but most of all he wanted to know how his dear 
father was. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 95 

" Is your father well ? " he asked. " You said you had an old 
father. Is he yet alive ? " 

They said, " Yes, our father is well, and he is alive ; " and 
as they spoke they bowed down their heads to the ground. 

Then Joseph looked for Benjamin, and when he saw him he 
longed to throw his arms round his neck, and kiss him, but he would 
not do it yet. He only said, " Is this your younger brother that you 
told me of?" 

And when they said yes, he spoke kindly to Benjamin, saying, 
" God be gracious to thee, my son." 

When Joseph had said this, he felt the tears coming into his 
eyes, and he could not help crying; so he went quickly out of the 
room, and shut himself up in his own room, and there he cried by 
himself. He was a very tender-hearted man, and he loved this 
young brother very much. 

Now the dinner was ready : so Joseph would not stay in his 
room : but first he washed his face, that no one might see that he 
had been crying, and then he tried to look cheerful, and he said to 
his servants, " Put the dinner on the table." 

In the room where they were to dine there were three tables. 
One was for Joseph's servants, another was for Joseph himself (for 
he always dined at a table by himself), and the other table was for 
the eleven brothers. 

Now the}' all sat down to dinner. It was long since they had 
eaten such a dinner, and they had made a great journey, and were 
tired, and hungry, and thirsty. Joseph sent them nice things from 
his table ; but he sent five times as much to Benjamin as to any of 
the others. 

Were the brothers envious of Benjamin because Joseph sent him 
the most ? No, they were not. Once they had been envious of 
Joseph — but now they were not. They ate and drank, and were merry. 

Joseph could see them all — and it was a pleasant sight to him. 
Once they had eaten their dinner while he lay in the pit, and they 
had given him none. Yet he would not treat them so, but would 
return good for evil. 



96 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Joseph Makes Himself Known to His Brothers. 

The brothers spent a happy day with Joseph. They did not go 
home that day, but waited to set out on the morrow. 

You know that they had come to buy corn, and they had 
brought empty sacks with them. Joseph called his servant, and 
said to him secretly, " Fill the sacks of those eleven men with corn, 
and put their money that they have given me for the corn back into 
their sacks. And put my silver cup into the sack of the youngest." 

The next morning as soon as it was light, the brothers rose up, 
took their asses and their sacks, and set off to return home to their 
father. How glad they were to get away safely — not one left behind ! 

But soon was all their joy turned into grief. 

They had gone but a little way, when some one called them. 
It was Joseph's servant ; he came running after them. 

" What has made you," said he, " behave so ill to my lord, after 
all his kindness to you ? Why have you stolen his silver cup, out 
of which he drinks ? " 

The brothers were much surprised to hear that the cup was 
stolen. 

"Why should you think," said they, "that we have taken it? 
We would not do such a wicked thing. Did we not bring back the 
money when we thought it had been put in our sacks by mistake ? 
And now, would we steal a silver cup out of your lord's house ? None 
of us has taken it. If any one of us has taken it, let him die, and let 
all the rest be slaves to your lord." 

"No," said the servant, "it shall not be so; the one who has 
taken the cup shall not be killed ; he shall only be a slave to my 
lord, and the others shall not be slaves : they shall all go home." 

Then the servant told them to open their sacks ; so the eldest 
brother took down his sack : the servant looked in amongst the corn, 
but could find no cup. Then the second opened his sack, but there 
was no cup hid in it. The third showed his, and each brother showed 
his in turn. At last Benjamin showed his. How much were they 
all surprised when they found the silver cup in it ! 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 97 

The servant said to Benjamin, " You must come back with me to 
my lord." He pretended that he was going to take him for a slave, 
and never let him return home ; but he said that his brothers might 
go home. 

And would they go and leave Benjamin behind? 

"No," said they, " we will go back with Benjamin." 

You see that they loved Benjamin, and that they would not 
leave him alone in his distress. 

The}- put their sacks again on their asses, and followed the 
servant to Joseph's house. Their hearts were bursting with grief, 
and they cried as they went. 

When they saw Joseph they fell with their faces on the ground. 

Joseph spoke to them as if he were angry, and said, " What is 
this wicked thing that you have done ? " 

Do you remember that Judah had promised to take care of 
Benjamin? So Judah began to beg Joseph to forgive Benjamin. 

Judah knew that it would be of no use to say that Benjamin had 
not taken the cup, so he only begged Joseph to take pity on them. 

" God is punishing us for our sins," said Judah, " and we can 
say nothing; we must all be your slaves." 

" No," said Joseph, " not all ; only he who has stolen the cup, 
he shall be my slave : let the others go back to their father." 

Joseph wanted to see whether the brothers would go back and 
leave poor Benjamin to be a slave. 

Judah then came nearer to Joseph, and began to beg for Benja- 
min with all his heart. 

" Let me speak a word to my lord," said he, " and do not be 
angry with me, for I fear you as much as I do the king. When 
we first came to buy corn, you asked us if we had a father and a 
brother, and we said, Yes, we had on old father, and a little 
brother that he loved very much indeed ; and then you said that 
we must bring our brother to show you. Then we said we could 
not, because our father would not part with him, but you said we 
must bring him. So when we went back to our father, we told him 
what you had said, but he would not let Benjamin go. ' No,' said 
7 



98 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

he, ' I had a dear child that I think was eaten up by a lion or a bear. 
If I let Benjamin go, perhaps some harm will happen to him, and 
then I shall die of grief, and these gray hairs will go down with 
sorrow to the grave.' 

"Then I promised my father that I would take care of Benja- 
min. I cannot go home without him. If I were to go back without 
Benjamin we should see our father die. Let me be your slave 
instead of Benjamin, and let him go home to his father; for I could 
not bear to see my father die of grief." 

Now Joseph saw that Judah did indeed love Benjamin and his 
old father. 

He felt ready to burst into tears, yet he did not go out of the 
room to weep, as he had done before ; but he said to all his 
servants, " Go out of the room ; " and Joseph was left alone with 
his brothers. He cried so loud, that all the servants heard him, 
though they were not in the room. 

At last he said, " I am Joseph. Is my father yet alive? " 

Joseph did not wish to frighten them ; he longed to put his 
arms round them and kiss them. 

u Do not grieve because you sold me ;" said Joseph : " God let 
you do it that I might save corn to feed your children. I wish 
you all to come and live with me here. You must bring my old 
father with you, and your children, and I will feed you all. Look 
at me, and you will see that I am indeed your own brother Joseph. 
It is my mouth that speaks to you. Go tell my father what fine 
things I have in Egypt, and bring him here to live with me." 

This was the loving way in which Joseph spoke. Then he 
threw his arms round Benjamin's neck, and wept as he kissed 
him; and Benjamin wept too upon Joseph's neck. Afterward 
Joseph kissed all his brothers, and wept as he kissed each ; and 
then his brothers no more felt afraid of him, but began to talk 
to him. They saw Joseph had quite forgiven them, and that he 
loved them with all his heart. They could not have expected 
such kindness, and it made them the more sorry for their own 
wickedness. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



99 



Jacob and All His Family Remove to Egypt. 

Before Joseph told his brothers who he was, he had sent the 
servants out of the room ; yet he had sobbed so loud that the 
servants had heard, 
and soon they knew 
the reason why Jos- 
eph had sent them 
out. The servants 
were glad to hear 
that Joseph had 
found his brothers. 
Joseph had not told 
the people of Egypt 
of his brothers' 
wickedness. 

Pharaoh, the 
king, heard of the 
brothers being 
found; and he, too, 
was glad, for he 
loved Joseph. 

He called Jos- 
eph, and said to him, 
"Your brothers 
must come and live 
near you, and you 
must send for your 
old father, and for 
all the little chil- 
dren ; and they shall 

1. j.1- t. j. r 1 JACOB AND HIS FAMILY REMOVE TO EGYPT. 

have the best food J 

in all the land to eat." Then Joseph got wagons, with some beasts 
to draw them, and he gave his brothers some food to eat as they 
traveled home. He also made them some handsome presents, for 




ioo MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Joseph was very rich. He gave them each two suits of clothes ; 
but to Benjamin he gave five suits, besides a great deal of money. 
He sent a present to his father ; ten asses that carried all kinds of 
good things; and ten asses more that carried a great deal of bread 
and other food for his father to eat by the way. 

When all the things were ready, Joseph told his brothers to 
go to Canaan, and to come back quickly. He gave them one piece 
of advice before they went. " Take care," he said, " that you do 
not quarrel by the way." 

They must have had a pleasant journey. 

Old Jacob had been longing to see them, much fearing lest 
Benjamin should not come back safely. At last they came, and 
he saw that not one was missing. 

They told him the joyful news, "Joseph is alive: and he is 
the great lord that sells corn in the land of Egypt." 

Perhaps you think Jacob was delighted ; but no — he would 
not believe them. 

"No," said he, "my son has long been dead." 

" But we have seen him," said they. 

" It cannot be true," said Jacob. 

Then the brothers told him what Joseph had said. " He desires 
us all to come and live with him, and he sends for you." 

Still Jacob could not believe them. 

" Only come and see the wagons he has sent, and then you will 
believe us," said they. 

So they took old Jacob to see the wagons, and when he saw 
them he believed and was glad. 

" It is enough," said old Jacob. "Joseph my son is yet alive ; I 
will go and see him before I die." 

And so they all came into the land of Egypt. 

Long before they came to Joseph's house they saw a fine 
chariot coming toward them. It was Joseph's. It stopped, and 
Joseph got out of it. 

Old Jacob stepped out of his wagon. His hair was gray, his 
legs were weak and he could hardly walk. Joseph was a fine and 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 101 

glorious lord. He ran to meet his father, threw his arms round 
his neck ; and then he wept for a long while. 

The last time Joseph had kissed his father was when he was 
a boy, dressed in his pretty coat, and was going to look for his 
brothers to see how the}' did. How many sad days had Jacob 
spent since that time, in thinking of him ! And now, at last, he 
had found him again. 

The brothers did not feel envious now when they saw Jaccb 
and Joseph folded in each other's arms. 

"Now," said old Jacob, u let me die, since I have seen your 
face once more/' 

Then Joseph said to his father and brothers, "I will go and 
tell Pharaoh that you have come." 

So he went to Pharaoh the king, and said, " My father and 
brothers, and their flocks, and all that they have, are come." 

And then he brought five of his brothers, and showed them to 
Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said to them, "What is your employment?" 

" We are shepherds, but there is no grass in Canaan for our 
sheep. Will you give us some fields where we can feed them ?" 

Pharaoh said that he would give them a great many fields, and 
that they might live there all together, with their children and 
their flocks. 

Joseph wished them to live all together, because the people in 
Egypt worshiped idols. 

Joseph wished the king to see his dear old father, so he brought 
him to the king. The king treated him with great respect, because 
Jacob was a very old man. Even kings should pay respect to old 
men. 

Should not children pay great respect to an old man ? When 
they see a gray-headed old man, they should be ready to wait upon 
him, and to do what he bids them. 

Old Jacob lifted up his hands over Pharaoh's head, and prayed 
God to show him kindness. This was called blessing him. Jacob 
blessed Pharaoh, because he had been very good to his dear Joseph. 

Pharaoh said to Jacob, " How old are you ? " 



102 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



Jacob said, " I am one hundred and thirty years old, but I am 
not as old as my fathers were ; and my life has been full of troubles.' ' 

Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh again, and went away to the place 
he had given him to live in. There he lived, with all his children 
around him. Joseph did not live with him, but he often came to 
see him. 

Jacob at last fell sick, and knew that he soon should die. 
He sent for all his sons that he might bless them before he died. 




DEATH OF JACOB. 

And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered np his 
feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people. — Gen- 
esis xlix: 33. 

Jacob had been lame a long while, and now he was almost blind, 
and very weak, and sick. 

When his sons came, he sat upon the bed, and called them 
one by one, that he might give a blessing to each. After he had 
blessed them he said, " I am soon going to die ; bury me in the 
cave in Canaan where Abraham my grandfather is buried, and 
Isaac my father." 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 103 

He said a great deal more, and at last he gathered up his 
feet into the bed, and died. 

Joseph fell upon his father's face when he was dead, and wept 
upon him, and kissed him. Those gray hairs had not gone down 
in sorrow to the grave, for God had comforted Jacob before he died. 

Joseph took his father's body to Canaan, to put it in the cave 
where Abraham and Isaac were. x\ll the brothers went with 
Joseph, and a great many servants, and chariots, and horses. 
Afterward they came back to Egypt. 

A very sad thought came into the minds of the brothers. 
They said to each other, " Perhaps Joseph has only been so kind to 
us to please his father; perhaps he has not really forgiven us; 
and now, perhaps, he will punish us." So they sent a servant to 
Joseph, and told the servant to say to Joseph, " Your father, before 
he died, told us to beg you to forgive us our great wickedness. 
So pray forgive us." 

When Joseph heard this message he began to weep, because 
he was sorry that his brothers should think he could be so unkind 
to them. Soon his brothers came and fell down before him, and 
seemed much afraid. Joseph said, "Fear not: it was wrong of you 
to sell me, yet God made it turn out for good ; because when I was 
in Egypt I saved the corn, and you were kept from dying of 
hunger. I still will feed you and your little children." He spoke 
yery kindty to them and comforted them. 

Joseph lived to be a very old man, and at last he died. 

This is the history of Joseph. You have heard the history 
of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God loved them all. Abraham was 
the grandfather, Isaac the father, and Jacob the son. 



The Story of Moses, and How He Was Found in the Bulrushes 

by the King's Daughter. 

You have heard how Joseph and his brothers lived happily in 
Egypt for a long while. At last they grew old and died, but they 
left a great many children ; and their children had a great many 



104 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

children ; till at last there were hundreds and thousands of people. 
These people were the grandchildren of Jacob, and his great-grand- 
children and their children. 

Did you know that Jacob had two names ? 

His other name was Israel. It was a name that God had 
given him. 

All the sons of Jacob were called the children of Israel, or the 
children of Jacob ; and the grandchildren of Jacob were called by 
the same name, "children of Israel." There were some men, and 
some women, and some children, and all of them together were 
called " children of Israel." 

They did not live in Canaan, you remember ; they had left 
Canaan, because no corn grew there for a long while : they lived 
in Egypt, and took care of their sheep. While the good king 
Pharaoh lived they were very happy. At last he died, and there 
was another king of Egypt ; he too was called Pharaoh. You shall 
hear what he did, and then you shall tell me whether you think 
he was good. 

He knew that the children of Israel had come from a great 
way off, and he said, " There are so many of them, perhaps they 
may some day fight against me with swords, and kill me and my 
servants. I will make them work hard, and I will try to kill 
them with hard work." 

So he desired that they should make a great many bricks, and 
build very high walls. He sent some of his men to make them 
work hard. 

The children of Israel were used to taking care of sheep, which 
is a pleasant employment. Shepherds lead their flocks to the green 
fields, and by the side of the quiet waters, and they sit under the 
shade of a tree when the sun is hot. But now the children of 
Israel were obliged to dig up the clay, and to make bricks, and 
dry them in the sun ; and if they did not make a great many 
bricks, the men whom Pharaoh had sent beat them. So now 
they were very unhappy ; they often sighed, and groaned, and shed 
tears. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



105 



Yet all this hard work did not kill them ; so the king thought 
of another plan. He said, " Let every boy-baby be thrown into the 
river." He did not order the girl-babies to be drowned, because they 
would not be 
able to fight 
with swords 
when they grew 
up. 

Whenever 
the king heard 
that one of the 
children of Is- 
rael had a little 
boy-baby, h e 
sent his men to 
throw it into the 
river. 

There was 
a very good wo- 
man who had a 
little boy-baby; 
she was one of 
the children of 
Israel. 

This wo- 
man knew that 
God would take 
careofherchild, 
and she prayed 
to God to take 
care of it. She hid her 
find it. I do not know 




THE EGYPTIAN WEEL. 

The wear)- traveler wandering that way 
Therein did often quench his thirst}- heat. 



baby, so that Pharaoh's men could not 
where she put it, but God taught her to 
hide it in a very safe place. 

When the baby was three months old, she found that she could 
not hide him any more. What could she do with her baby ? 




(io6) 



HAGAR AND HER SON ISHMAEX, 

Who is the father of the Arabs. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



107 



In Egypt there is a great river called the Nile. Close by the 
river there grew a great many reeds and bulrushes, which are like 
very high, thick grass. 



She took some bulrushes and made them 



into a large basket. 
She wished to make 
a basket into which 
the water could not 
come ; so she got 
some pitch, and cov- 
ered the basket with 
pitch. Then she put 
her little bab}^ in- 
side, and took the 
basket in her arms. 
No one could tell 
what was in the 
basket. 

She went to the 
river-side, and laid 
the basket among 
the great rushes, 
close by the water ; 
she knew that God 
would not let the 
child be killed, and 
so she left it, trust- 
ing in Him. 

She had a little 
girl of ten years old. 
This little girl was 
the baby's sister. 
She stood a great way off, to see what would become of her baby- 
brother. Soon she saw some ladies walking by the river-side. One 
of these ladies was King Pharaoh's daughter. She was a princess. 
The other ladies were her maids, and they were going with the 




THE PKIXCFSS FINDS MOSES. 



108 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

princess to some place where she could bathe. The princess was 
looking at the rushes, when she saw something strange peeping out 
of them. She thought it looked like a baby-boy, so she said to one 
of her maids, "Go and see what that is." The maid went and 
found the basket. She took it up and brought it to the princess. 
The princess opened the basket, and saw a sweet babe. It was fair 
and lovely. 

It began to weep. Poor infant ! it was used to lie in its mother's 
arms, but now there was no one to feed it or to comfort it. The 
princess pitied the child. She had heard how her father had desired 
that every boy-baby should be thrown into the river, and she said, " I 
suppose this is the baby of one of the children of Israel." She did 
not wish it to be thrown into the river. 

The baby's sister had come nearer, and had seen what the princess 
had done. She saw that the princess pitied it ; so she said, " If 
you want a nurse, I can find you one who will nurse the child for 
you." The princess said, "Go." 

Then she went and called her own and the baby's mother. When 
she had come, the princess said to her, " Take this child and nurse it 
for me, and I will give you wages." 

How glad the mother was to take care of it ! She saw that God 
had heard her prayers, and saved her child from being drowned. 

The mother could teach it about God as soon as it could under- 
stand. But she was not allowed to keep the baby always. When he 
was grown to be a large boy, the princess sent for him to come and 
live with her, and she called him her son. She gave him a name. 
" I shall call him ' Moses,' " she said ; which means " drawn out," 
for he was drawn out of the water. 

The princess lived in a fine house, and had a great many 
servants. Moses had beautiful clothes, nice things to eat, and 
servants to wait upon him. He had no hard work to do ; yet he 
was not idle, but learned a great many things. The princess 
told the wise men to teach him. 

He knew the names of the stars, the names of beasts, and 
birds, and plants. He learned about all these things, and grew 




(io9) 



no MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

very wise. But one thing these wise men could not teach 
him, and that was about God ; for they worshiped idols. Yet 
Moses did know about God, for his father and mother knew the 
true God, and when he was little Moses lived with them. Of all 
the things Moses knew, this was the best. He was wiser than 
all the men in Egypt, for he knew the true God. 

He was brave as well as wise, and • all the people in Egypt 
praised him, and paid him respect. But he was not happy, and 
I will tell you why in the next story. 



How Moses Slew the Task-Master. 

I have told you how very hard the poor children of Israel 
worked, in making bricks. When Moses had grown to be a man, 
this thought came into his mind : "I live in a fine house, and am as 
great as a prince. I have no work to do ; but my poor cousins, the 
children of Israel, they are working like slaves. Cruel men are 
beating them? Cannot I help them?" This thought made him sad. 

Do you remember the promise God made to Abraham about 
his great-great-grandchildren ? These children of Israel were the 
great-great-grandchildren of Abraham. 

I am now going to tell you about these descendants of Abraham, 
and Isaac, and Jacob, and about their children, and their children : 
and I shall always call them the " children of Israel." 

What promise had God made to Abraham about them ? He 
had said that they should live in the laud of Canaan — that sweet 
land, full of hills and rivers, grass and flowers, sheep and cows, 
milk and honey. God had said to Abraham, " I will give this 
land to your children." Not to Isaac, but to his great-great-great- 
great-grandchildren, and to their children, and their children's 
children. 

Moses had heard of this promise ; perhaps his mother had told 
him of it. He had heard how he had been saved from being 
drowned when he was a little baby, and he believed that God 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. nr 

would let him bring the children of Israel into Canaan. He 
wished to save them from being slaves among the wicked people 
of Egypt, and to make them happy in that pleasant land of Canaan. 

Moses left the king's fine house, and all his fine things, and 
went to the place where the poor Israelites were working hard. 
(The children of Israel were sometimes called Israelites.) 

He wished to see whether they remembered God's promise to 
Abraham, and whether they wished to go to Canaan. 

When he came to the place in Egypt where the children of 
Israel were working, how sad was the sight he saw! There they 
were, laboring in the heat of the sun. They worked from morn- 
ing till night. They dug up the clay to make bricks : that was 
hard work. Then they made the bricks ; they put them in heaps 
to dry them in the sun. Then they carried them to build the 
great walls for Pharaoh. 

Moses was very sorry to see how the poor children of Israel 
were treated. 

One day he saw one of the task-masters (the cruel men were 
called task-masters) beating one of the children of Israel. Moses 
could not bear to see the poor slave treated so cruelly. He looked 
to see whether there were any more task-masters near ; he saw no 
one. So he killed the task-master, and then dug a hole in the 
ground, and covered him over with the earth. 

Moses had been sent by God to kill this wicked man, that he 
might show the poor Israelites that he was come from God to make 
them happy. 

One of the Israelites saw him, and soon King Pharaoh heard 
of it ; and Pharaoh was very angry, and tried to find Moses, that 
he might have him killed. So Moses was obliged to go into a 
country a great way off, where the king could not find him. I will 
tell you another time what happened to Moses in that country. God 
loved Moses, and He took care of him wherever he went. 

Moses might have lived always in a fine house, and ridden in 
a chariot, and had many servants ; but you see how much he loved 
the poor children of Israel. 



ii2 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

He wished to please God more than to be called the son of 
Pharaoh's daughter ; he knew that God loved the children of Israel, 
and he knew that God would one day help him to take them into 
Canaan. 



Story of the Wonderful Burning Bush. 

Moses was grieved to leave the poor children of Israel groaning 
in Egypt; but he was forced to hide himself from Pharaoh. 

He took nothing with him on his journey; — no servant, no 
companion ! But God was with him. 

At last Moses came to a place where there was much grass, 
and a great many sheep. Here, also, there was a well, and he sat 
down by the side of it; for he had taken a long journey. 

He had no house, no bed, and no friends. He was like Jesus, 
who had nowhere to lay His head. But God took care of him. 

Soon there came seven girls to the well. They were sisters, and 
they took care of their father's sheep. They brought their sheep 
with them to give them water. First they let down some pails, or 
buckets, into the well, and then poured the water into some great 
troughs that stood near, and the sheep drank out of the troughs. 
While they were doing this, some shepherds came to the well and 
tried to drive them away, that their own sheep might drink water 
out of the troughs ; but the poor girls had filled the troughs with 
water, and it would have been very unfair to take the water from 
their sheep. But the men were stronger than the girls, and had 
often behaved in this way to them. 

Moses did not like to see weak people ill-treated ; and he was 
very strong ; so he stood up, and would not let the shepherds send 
the girls away, but helped them to draw water for their sheep. 

The poor girls thought Moses was very kind, because he was 
only a stranger, and yet he had helped them. 

When they came to their father, he said, " How is it that you 
have come home so soon to-day? " And they said, " A stranger was by 
the well, and he would not let the shepherds drive us away, and he 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



n 3 



drew water for our sheep." Then the father answered, u Where 
is the man ? Call him, and ask him to come and eat bread with 
us." So the girls called Moses, and asked him to come to their 
house. It was God 
who put it into the 
man's heart to be 
kind to Moses. 

The old father 
asked Moses to live 
with him and his 



daughters, 



nd 




Moses said he 
would. He took 
care of the old 
father's sheep, and 
he married one of 
the seven girls. 
Then the old father 
was called Moses' 
father-in-law, b e- 
cause he was the 
father of his wife. 

Moses had once 
been a fine prince, 
and had ridden in a 
chariot ; but now he 
led his sheep to eat 
grass among the 
green hills. 

There was one 
thing that m list 
have made Moses sad. What was that? He knew that the 
children of Israel were still groaning at their hard work. Could 
he be happy while they were so miserable ? You know that he 
could not, because Moses loved these poor people. 

8 



MOSES AT THE HOME OF UBAN. 



ii4 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

The children of Israel were indeed working hard. King Pharaoh 
had died ; but there was another King Pharaoh, as wicked as he had 
been. 

At last the children of Israel cried to God to help them, and 
God heard their prayers ; and He remembered the promise made 
to Abraham, and He determined to save them. Now you shall 
hear what God did to help them. 

One day Moses was with the old father's sheep, among the 
high hills. He was quite alone. He looked up, and saw a bush 
on fire. As he looked the bush continued to burn, but it was not 
more burnt away than at first. This surprised him very much, 
and he said, " I will go and look at the bush, and see why it is 
not burnt up." 

He was just going up to it, when he heard some one speaking to 
him. The voice came out of the bush. Whose voice could it be? 

It was the voice of God, who said to him, " Moses, Moses ! " 

He answered, " Here am I." 

Then God said, " Come not near this place, for I am here. 
I have heard the children of Israel crying to Me in their trouble, 
and I remember that I promised Abraham that his children should 
live in Canaan, and I am going to send them to Canaan. Moses, 
you must go to Pharaoh, and tell him to let them go." 

Was not this a hard thing for Moses to do ? But God said, 
" I will be with you and help you." 

Then Moses said, " But perhaps the children of Israel will not 
choose to come out of Egypt. They will say, ' We will not go with you, 
Moses ; you are not speaking the truth ; God has not really spoken 
to you.' What shall I do then ? " said Moses. 

Then God said that He would teach him to do wonderful things. 
God, said, " What do you hold in your hand ? " 

Now Moses had a long stick in his hand, called a rod. He 
used to help his sheep to get out of holes with his rod, and 
when he climbed high hills he leaned upon it. So when God 
said, " What do you hold in your hand ? " Moses answered, 
"A rod." 




TRAVELERS IN PALESTINE SHOWING HOW MOSES TRAVELED. (115) 



n6 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

"Throw it upon the ground," said the Lord. And Moses did 
so, and it was turned into a serpent. Moses was afraid of the 
serpent, and began to run away from it. Then God said, " Take 
hold of it by the tail." So Moses took hold of it, and it was turned 
again into a rod. God said to Moses, u When you go to Egypt, do 
this wonderful thing before the children of Israel, to show them that 
I have sent you ; but if they do not believe you, do this thing, too, 
that I will show you. Put your hand into your bosom." So Moses 
put in his hand, and then he drew it out, and it was leprous ; that 
is, it was all covered over with white spots. What a frightful sight 
this was ! Then God said, " Put your hand in again ;" and he put 
it in and pulled it out again, and then it was as well as it was before. 
Then God said to Moses, "If the children of Israel will not believe 
that I have really spoken to you, let them see you do this wonder." 

Moses went back to his father-in-law, and told him that he 
must go back to Egypt ; and he took his wife and his two little 
sons with him upon an ass. 

As Moses was going to Egypt he met his brother Aaron, and 
Aaron was glad to see him, and kissed him. Then Moses and 
Aaron went together to the land of Egypt. 

They found the poor Israelites at their hard work, crying and 
groaning. Aaron said to them, " God has sent us to tell Pharaoh 
to let you go to the land of Canaan." Then Aaron did the wonders 
that God had shown Moses when He spoke to him from the bush. 
You know what wonders I mean. 

Did the people of Israel believe what Aaron said ? Did they 
wish to go to the land of Canaan ? Yes, they did ; and they thanked 
God for having heard their prayers. 



A Description of Some of the Terrible Plagues that God Sent 

upon Egypt. 

The next day Moses and Aaron, and some of the children of 
Israel with them, went in to speak to King Pharaoh. He was a 
proud and wicked man, and he worshiped idols. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



"7 



He said, "The Lord God 



It was Aaron who spoke to Pharaoh. 
desires you to let the children of Israel go." 

Do you think Pharaoh did let them go? No, he spoke proudly, 
and said, li Who is 
the Lord, that I 
should obey His 
voice ? I know not 
the Lord, neither 
will I let Israel go/' 
This was his proud 
answer. 

He was now 
more unkind than 
before to the chil- 
dren of Israel, and 
ordered the task- 
masters to make 
them work harder ; 
so that the children 
of Israel cried still 
more bitterly. 

As Moses and 
Aaron came out 
from King Phar- 
aoh, they saw some 
of the children of 
Israel waiting for 
them. These men 
said to Moses and 
Aaron, ik You have 
onfy done us harm 
by asking Pharaoh to let us go. He makes us work harder than 
ever." It was ungrateful of the children of Israel to speak in this 
manner to Moses, who had tried to help them. Moses was very 
meek and gentle, and he did not answer angrily, but he went and 




THE RODS TURNED TO SNAKES. 



n8 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

prayed to God, and asked what he must do now. God told him 
to go in to King Pharaoh and to show him the wonder of the 
serpent. So Moses and Aaron went in. Moses said to Aaron, 
" Take this rod and throw it on the ground ! " And Aaron threw 
it down, and it became a live serpent ; then afterward it was turned 
into a rod again. 

Would Pharaoh now say he would let Israel go ? No, he 
would not ; his heart was very hard and he cared for nothing. 

So God told Moses to do another wonderful thing, and I will 
tell you what it was. 

Moses and Aaron went early in the morning down to the side 
of the great river, and waited there till Pharaoh came ; for he came 
there very often to bathe. Then they said to him, " Because you 
would not do as God desired, and let Israel go, now you shall see 
what God can do." 

Then Aaron took the rod, and lifted it up over the water ; 
and in a moment the water was turned into blood. 

The people of Egypt had nothing to drink, for all the water 
in the ponds was turned into blood, and all the water in jugs, 
and basins, and cups, was turned into blood The fish in the 
river died, and a very bad smell came from the river. The people 
dug holes in the ground to get water. The water was blood for a 
whole week. 

As Pharaoh would not mind, God sent him another plague. 

Aaron stretched out the rod, and frogs came running out of 
the river, and out of the ponds, hundreds and hundreds of frogs. 
They ran into the streets, and into the houses, and went into the 
bed-rooms, and into the beds ; they went into the kitchens, and got 
among the food ; they went even into Pharaoh's house, and into 
his bed. 

Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, 
" Pray to God to take away the frogs. I will let the children of 
Israel go." 

Moses went and prayed to God, and God made all the frogs 
die, so that the people swept the dead frogs into heaps, and these 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 119 

heaps had a very bad smell. But still Pharaoh would not let the 
people go. 

So God seut another plague. 

Aaron stretched out the rod, and turned all the dust into filthy 
little insects, that crawled over the men and over the beasts ; but 
Pharaoh would not mind this plague. 

Theu God sent swarms of flies, that came in at the windows, 
aud spoiled everything, in-doors and out-of-doors. But no flies came 
near the children of Israel. 

Then Pharaoh said, " I will let the children of Israel go, if 
God will take away the flies." Then Moses prayed to God, and 
God took all the flies away, and did not even leave one. Then 
Pharaoh said, "'I will not let the people go." 

So another plague was sent. 

The beasts fell very sick — the horses and asses, the camels, 
the cows, and the sheep — and a great many of them died. Yet 
Pharaoh would not let the people go. 

Afterward God made a great many boils come upon all the 
men, and women, and children, but not upon the children of Israel, 
only upon Pharaoh's people. They were so sick that they could 
not stand ; yet Pharaoh would not mind, for his heart grew harder 
and harder. 



Other Great Plagues that Fell upon the Egyptians, 

One morning Moses and Aaron rose up very early and went 
to Pharaoh, and said to him, " To-morrow God is going to rain 
great hailstones from the sky— such hailstones as were never seen 
in Egypt before. They will kill all men and beasts that are out- 
of-doors. Therefore you must keep your cows and horses, and 
asses in the stables, or they will be killed." 

The next day Moses stretched out his rod toward the sky, 
and God sent thunder, and hail, and fire, which ran along the 
ground. It was a most dreadful storm. Such a storm was never 
seen before. The noise of the hailstones and of the thunder must 



120 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



have made every one tremble who heard it. But how glad those 
must have been who were in their houses ! Many beasts and men 
were killed, and grass and corn were burnt up by the fire, and the 

trees were broken. 
Yet there was no 
hail where the chil- 
dren of Israel were. 
This storm 
frightened Phar- 
aoh, and he sent 
for Moses and 
Aaron, and said, 
" I have sinned : 
only pray the Lord 
to send no more 
thunder and hail, 
and I will let the 
children of Israel 
go." 

Moses said, "I 
will go out of the 
city, and I will 
stretch out m y 
hands to God, and 
He will not send 
auy more thunder 
and hail ; but still 
I know you will 
not obey God." 

So Moses went 

out of the city, for 

stretched out his hands, 




THE STORM OF FIRE AND HAIL. 

he did not fear the storm. Then he 

and God made the hail and thunder stop, and He made the rain 



leave off. Did Pharaoh then let Israel 
that the storm was over he would not. 



g° 



No 



\v 



hen he saw 



All Pharaoh's servants 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



121 



were wicked, too ; for they did not wish him to let the Israel- 
ites go. 

Then Moses and Aaron went to King Pharaoh again and 
said, " God will now 
send locusts into 
your country." 

Pharaoh and 
his servants were 
very angry when 
they heard that the 
locusts were com- 
ing, and the}' spoke 
roughly to Moses 
and Aaron, and 
drove them out of 
the house. Moses 
stretched out the 
rod, and God made 
the wind blow very 
hard, and next day 
the wind blew a 
great number of 
locusts into Egypt. 
The locusts made 
the sky look black 
as the wind blew 
them along; but 
they did not stay 
in the air ; they 
perched on the trees, 
and ate up the fruit 
that the hail had left : they covered the grass and ate it up, and 
they even came into the houses. Pharaoh and his servants thought 
that the}- should soon have nothing to eat, so he sent quickly for 
Moses and Aaron. " I have sinned," he said, " against the Lord, 




THE PEST OF LOCUSTS. 



122 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



and against yon. Only forgive me this once, and pray to God to 
take away the locusts, and I will let Israel go." 

So Moses prayed to the Lord. God sent another wind, and it 
blew the locusts away, and they fell into the sea, and there was 

not one locust left 
in Egypt. 

But Pharaoh 

still said, "I will 

not let Israel go." 

The next time 

Moses did not tell 

Pharaoh what God 

was going to do. He 

stretched out his 

rod toward heaven, 

and in one moment 

God made it dark. 

It was darker than 

ever it is at night. 

There was not the 

least light, except 

where the children 

of Israel lived; there 

it was quite light. 

The people of 

Egypt were very 

much frightened. 

They were doing 

work, or eat- 

or walking, 

all at once 




their 
when 



EATING THE PASSOVER. 



this darkness came 
on. They stopped and sat down in the place where they were ; and 
never moved, night or day. Now they had time to think of all 
their wickedness. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



123 



It was dark for three days and three nights, and then it grew 



light. 



But was Pharaoh sorry for his wickedness ? No ; his heart 
He said to Moses, " Get away ! you shall 



was harder than ever 
never see my face 
again. If 3^011 come 
unto me any more, 
you shall die." 

Then Moses 
said, "You shall 
see ni}' face no 
more." 

God spake to 
Moses again, and 
said, u I am going 
to send another 
plague. At night 
I shall come into 
every house in 
Egypt, and kill the 
first-born in every 
house. But this is 
what I desire the 
children of Israel 
to do : Let each 
man take a lamb, 
a 1 amb without 
spot, and kill it, 
and eat it that 
night with his fam- 
ily : and let them 
take the blood of 
the lamb, and put some blood outside the door; and when I 
I shall see the blood, and I will not kill the eldest son in 
house. Let the people in the house stand round the table 




THE ANGEL OF DEATH PASSING OVER EGYPT. 



pass 

that 

while 



124 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



they eat the lamb. Let them all be dressed ready for a journey. " 
So all the children of Israel killed young lambs, roasted them, 
and ate them at night. They stood round their tables, with their 

sticks in their 
hands. They ate 
some bread with 
the lamb, and some 
bitter herbs. They 
did not forget to 
put some blood on 
the posts of the 
door, for then they 
knew they were 
safe. 

The men of 
Egypt went to bed 
that night as usual, 
but in the middle 
of the night the 
eldest son in each 
house died. No one 
saw God's angel 
enter in, but he did 
come. No bars or 
bolts could keep 
him out ; but when 
he saw the blood on 
the door, then he 
passed over the 
house. What a 
dreadful cry the 
fathers and mothers made in Egypt when they found their eldest 
sons were dead ! They rushed out of their houses weeping. " Our 
darling son is dead!" said one. "And so is mine ! " said another. 
"And mine!" "And mine!" There never was such dreadful 




THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL PREPARING TO DEPART. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 125 

crying heard in Egypt before. Even Pharaoh's eldest son was 
killed, as well as the sons of the people. Pharaoh rose up at night, 
and called for Moses and Aaron ; but it was dark, so that they did 
not see his face. 

k ' Go," said Pharaoh, ' % and take the children of Israel with you : 
they may take their sheep and cows with them, and all that they 
have » 

And all the men of Egypt begged the children of Israel to go 
away as fast as possible, for they were afraid that God would kill 
them all. 

Then the Israelites said to the women of Egypt, " Do give us 
some gold and silver before we go." 

And the}- said, kk We will give you what you want : only go." 

So the women of Egypt gave them a great many beautiful things 
to take with them. 

The Israelites went away in a very great hurry. They took 
their things just as they were. They put bread in their bags ; they 
drove their sheep, cows, camels and asses, before them, and so they 
set out in the night. 

There was a great crowd of people. No little child could have 
counted them. 

So at last the\- came out of Egypt, where they had been slaves 
so long. God had remembered His promise to Abraham, and Abra- 
ham's children were on their way to the land of Canaan. 

God said to Moses, " They must never forget My kindness in 
bringing them out of Egypt. They must eat a lamb every year, as 
they have done to-night. Eating the lamb shall be called eating the 
Feast of the Passover." 

Why was this supper called the Passover ? Because God 
passed over the doors where the blood was seen. 

Xow count how many plagues God had sent upon Pharaoh and 
the people of Egypt — 

1. Water turned into blood. 

2. Frogs. 

3. Small insects from the dust. 



126 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

4. Flies. 

5. Death of the beasts. 

6. Boils. 

7. Hail and thunder. 

8. Locusts. 

9. Darkness. 

10. Death of the eldest sons. 
I hope, dear children, that you will obey God and not make Him 
angry with you. Jesus is praying for us and God is waiting that we 
may repent. 



How Moses and the Children of Israel Crossed the Red Sea. 

The children of Israel had begun their journey to Canaan. But 
they had to travel a long way before they could reach that pleasant 
place. How could they find their way ? 

God Himself showed them the way. He went before them in a 
dark cloud. The cloud moved, and they moved after it. But a black 
cloud could not be seen at night, so at night God made the cloud 
shine like fire. In the day the cloud was a shade from the sun, and 
in the night the fire gave light to the Israelites. When the cloud or 
the fire stopped, then Moses desired all the people to set up their 
tents on the ground. This was called "encamping." 

The children of Israel went very fast till they came to the 
sea-side. Then the cloud stopped, and they set up their tents close 
by the sea. The sea was called the Red Sea. Perhaps you think 
that the water of this sea was red like blood : but the water was 
like other water, though it was called the Red Sea. 

They had not been long in their tents before they heard a 
great noise : it was a noise of wheels and a noise of horses. They 
looked, and saw, a great way off, Pharaoh and his army in chariots 
and on horses. Pharaoh had become sorry that he let them go, and 
he was coming after them to bring them back. 

The Israelites were very much frightened. What could they 
do ? They could not get over the sea, for they had no ships ; yet, 







(I2 7 ) 



i 2 8 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

if they stayed where they were, Pharaoh and his' men would soon 
overtake them and fight against them, and Pharaoh's men could 
fight far better than they could. What could they do ? They 
cried to God to help them. This was right : but they did some- 
thing else that was not right, — they began to speak angrily to Moses. 
" Why have you brought us up out of Egypt ? We would rather 
have died there than come here : for we shall certainly be killed." 

It was ungrateful to say this to Moses : but he answered them 
meekly. " Do not be afraid : God will fight for you, and you shall 
never see the faces of Pharaoh and his men again." 

Then Moses went and prayed to God ; for Moses knew that 
God would save the children of Israel. 

Then God said to Moses, " Lift up your rod over the sea, and 
I will make a dry path for the Israelites to walk upon." 

So Moses lifted up his rod, and the waters obeyed him ; and 
part of the water was lifted up on one side, and part on the other, 
and seemed like two walls of water, while a dry path was seen 
between. 

The Israelites walked in the path, and all their cattle with 
them. It was the evening when they began to cross the sea, and 
they were walking across all the night ; yet it was not dark. 

I will tell you why it was not dark. You know that the cloud 
in the sky shone brightly in the night, and gave light to the 
Israelites. But God did not choose that Pharaoh should see the 
light; so God made the black cloud move backward, and it stood 
in the sky between the Israelites and Pharaoh : the bright side was 
turned toward the Israelites, and the dark side toward Pharaoh, 
so the Israelites saw a bright light : but the armies of Pharaoh 
were in the dark, and they could not go fast because it was so 
dark ; but the Israelites walked quickly along the dry path, and by 
the morning they got to the land that was on the other side of the 
sea. They had not yet got to Canaan, but they were over the sea, 
and they were on their journey to Canaan. 

Now I will tell you whether Pharaoh and his men got over 
the sea or not. When they came to the edge of the sea, they saw 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



129 



a dry path, and the wall of water on each side ; so they went along 

the dry path. When they had gone about half way across the sea, 

and were hoping soon to overtake the Israelites, God looked at 

them through His 

clond. Pharaoh and 

his men heard 

dreadful noises, 

and they were very 

much frightened. 

It was God who 

made them afraid. 

They could 
not make their 
chariots go on, and 
they thought that 
God was going to 
help the Israelites 
to kill them ; so 
the}- said to each 
other, " Let us turn 
back." 

Ah! it was now 
too late : God was 
going to destroy 
those wicked men. 
They drove as fast 
as the}' could, that 
they might get out 
of the water, but 
it was too late ; for 

.1 11 r . THE SONG OF TRIUMPH. 

the walls 01 water 

fell down and covered them all, and they lay like stones at the 
bottom of the sea. This was the end of Pharaoh and of his wicked 
servants. Now the Israelites saw that the cruel men could hurt 
them no more : God had punished them for their wickedness, and 
9 




130 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

had saved the poor children of Abraham as He had promised. 
This was a happy morning for the Israelites. They thanked God 
for His goodness in saving them, and they sang together a beauti- 
ful song of praise. 

The song began with these words : "I will sing unto the Lord, 
for He hath triumphed gloriously : the horse and his rider hath 
He thrown into the sea." 

How pleasant it must have been to see the poor Israelites 
singing and rejoicing! A little while before they had been working 
hard in the sun, they had been beaten by cruel men, and had cried 
and groaned : now they were slaves no more, but they were on 
their way to a sweet land, where they might live happily. 



Story of the Manna and the Rock in the Desert. 

The children of Israel were very glad that they had got away 
from their cruel masters. Now they had a kind master, even Moses. 
Ought they not to be good and happy ? 

There was such a number of people that they wanted a great 
deal of food to feed them. They had taken a little bread with them 
in their bags, when they left Egypt ; but they ate it up very soon. 

What ought they to do now ? They ought to pray to God. 
He loved them, and would not let them starve. But these naughty 
Israelites began to grumble. They went to Moses and Aaron, and 
said, " We wish we had died in Egypt. At least we had bread 
and meat there, as much as we could eat ; but now we shall be 
starved. You have only brought us out of Egypt to kill us." 

How ungrateful they were to Moses and to God ! 

Yet Moses did not answer them roughly. He knew that God 
heard their wicked words ; and God did hear them. God called to 
Moses, and said, "I have heard them, and I will feed them." 

Did they deserve to be fed ? Oh, no ! How do you think 
God would feed them? He would rain down bread from heaven. 
Was not this kind? 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



I3 1 



Next morning the children of Israel, when they looked out at 
their tent doors, saw the ground was white. They looked to see 
what made the ground white, and they saw little round white 
things on the 
ground. They said 
to each other, 
" What can this 
be ? We never saw 
anything like it be- 
fore." 

Then Moses 
said, "This is the 
bread that God 
hath sent you from 
heaven ; gather it, 
and take it to your 
tents." 

So all the men 
got jars and bas- 
kets, and gathered 
the manna for them- 
selves, for their 
wives, and for their 
little children ; and 
there was enough 
for them all : not 
too much, nor too 
little, but just 
enough. The}^ 
tasted it and found 
it was as sweet as 
honey, and they called it " manna." Moses said to them, u Do 
not save any of the manna, for God will send you some every day. 
If it is all gone at night, do not be afraid ; trust God. He will 
send you more." 




GATHERING MANNA IN THE WILDERNESS. 



I 3 2 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



But some of the people chose to save some of the manna. 
They were disobedient and ungrateful. They looked at their 
manna next morning, but it was full of worms. They could not 

eat it, but were 
obliged to throw it 
away. How foolish 
it is not to mind 
what God says ! 

Soon afterward 
the people had no 
water to drink. 
There was no river 
in the wilderness, 
and very few wells, 
or ponds. Do you 
think God would let 
them die of thirst? 
These naughty 
Israelites thought 
God would. So 
they went to Moses, 
and spoke very 
angrily. 

" Why did you 

bring us up out of 

Egypt? You mean 

to kill us, and our 

little children, and 

our cattle with 

thirst." They were 

so very angry that 

Moses thought they would soon throw great stones at him and kill 

him. Yet Moses did not answer, but began to pray to God. u What 

shall I do for these people? " said Moses. Then God said to Moses, 

"Take your rod, and go up a hill, and let some of the people go 




WATER GUSHES FROM THE) ROCK. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 133 

with you. Then, when you are come to a high place close by the 
rock, strike the rock, and the water shall come out." 

So Moses took some people with him, and struck the rock, and 
the water came running out. 

What a pleasant sight for the thirsty people ! Their mouths 
were dry, and their tongues were stiff, their throats burning ; but 
now they might stoop down and drink, or they might fill their jugs 
with water. The poor cows, and sheep, and asses, ran to the water 
to drink. 

You see how kind God had been to the people in their distress. 
Ought they not to trust Him always, and to feel sure that He 
would help them ? 



The Terrors of Mount Sinai. 

The Israelites went on traveling through the wilderness. The 
wilderness was very large, and it would be a long time before the 
people could get to Canaan. 

They soon came to a very high mountain. It was called Mount 
Sinai. It was the same mountain where Moses had seen the bush on 
fire when he was keeping his sheep. Now he had brought the chil- 
dren of Israel to that very place where God had spoken to him first. 

God told Moses to come up to the top of the mountain, for He 
had something to say to him. So Moses went up. Then God said 
to him, "-You see how kind I have been to the children of Israel in 
bringing them out of Egypt ; go down and ask them whether they 
will do what I desire them : for if they will, they shall always be My 
own people." 

So Moses went down and asked them if they would obey God. 
And they said, " Yes, we will do all that the Lord tells us." 

Then Moses went up to the top of the mountain again, and told 
God what the people had said. 

Then God said, " I am going to let the people hear My voice, 
and they shall see Me speaking to you, Moses. Go down, and tell 
them to get ready." 



i 3 4 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

So Moses went down and said, " In three days yon will hear 
God's voice, and see Him in a cloud at the top of the mount. Get 
ready and wash your clothes." Xi ~ 

So the people washed their clothes, that they might all stand in 
clean white clothes before the Lord. Moses desired men to put rails 
all round the mount, that no one might go up to it, or even touch it. 
Not even the sheep must eat the grass upon that mount, for it was 
the mount of God. 

In three days, early in the morning, the people heard a loud 
voice, and they all trembled. Moses desired them to come out of 
their tents and to look upon God. 

What a dreadful sight they saw ! The mountain was shaking 
and moving up and down. On the top a great fire was seen, and a 
thick cloud, and such a smoke went up as filled the sky with 
blackness and darkness. There were thunders and lightnings, and 
a sound came out of the fire. It was like the sound of a trumpet, 
and every moment it grew louder and louder. Even Moses himself 
was frightened, and said, " I tremble, and am afraid." 

The Lord said to Moses, " Come up to Me on the top of the 
mount." So Moses went up, and all the people saw him go. He 
went up on the shaking mount, and into the midst of the smoke. 

When Moses came up, God said to him (but He did not speak 
very loud), " Go, tell the people not to come up after you, for they 
must not come up this mountain." 

And Moses said, " I have put rails around the mount." 

But still God said, " Go and tell them not to come near," for 
God knew how bold and disobedient the people were. 

So Moses went down and said, " Do not dare to touch the mount- 
ain, or you will be killed." 

Then God spake very loud indeed, so that all the people 
heard ; and as they heard they trembled. Could you have seen 
that mountain, you would not wonder that they trembled as they 
stood round it. 

What did God say in that loud voice ? You have often heard 
the words at church. These are the words that God said : " I am 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



1 35 



the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, 
out of the house of bondage (or from the place where you were slaves). 

I. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. 

II. Thou shalt not make images, and worship them. (Such images 
are called idols.) 

IILThou shalt 
not take the name 
of the Lord thy God 
in vain. 

IV. Remember 
the Sabbath day to 
keep it holy, be- 
cause in it God 
rested from His 
works. 

V. Honor thy 
father and thy 
mother. 

VI. Thou shalt 
not kill. 

VII. Thou 
shalt not commit 
adultery (that is, a 
man must not take 
away another man's 
wife, nor must a wo- 
man go away from 
her husband and 
have another hus- 
band). 

VIII. Thou 
shalt not steal. 

IX. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. 

X. Thou shalt not covet (or wish for other people's things). 
This is what God said on the mount, and then He said no more. 




MOSES BRINGS THE BOOK FROM MOUNT SINAI. 



136 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Soon they came to Moses, and they said to him, " Ask God never 
to let ns hear His voice again, it frightens us so much. We wish God 
to tell everything to you, Moses, and you can tell us what He says." 

So Moses went up again to the dark cloud at the top of the 
mount, and told God what the people had said. " They do not wish 
to hear Thee speak to them again," said Moses. 

And God said, " They have done well in not wishing to hear 
My voice. I shall speak to you, and you shall tell them ; and oh, 
that they would obey Me, and that I might bless them always! " 

You see that God wished the people to be good and happy; 
but He knew that they did not love Him in their hearts. 

Moses did really love God. God talked to him a great deal. 
God told Moses to come up to Him quite alone, and to stay with 
Him at the top of the mountain ; and so Moses stayed with God 
forty days and forty nights, and all that time he neither ate 
bread nor drank water ; but God kept him alive, and talked to him 
out of the thick cloud. 

At the end of the time God gave Moses a book. What kind 
of book ? It was not made of paper, like the books you have 
seen. It was made of stone. It had only two leaves, and on 
those leaves very little writing. God had made this stone book, 
and God had written in it with His own finger. 

You would like to know what was written in it. God had 
written in it all the words He had spoken in the loud voice from 
the cloud. The ten things God had told the Israelites are called 
the Ten Commandments. 

He had written them down that Moses might read them to 
the children of Israel, so that they might never forget the com- 
mandments God had given to them. 



The Building of the Tabernacle. 

Whenever Moses talked with God his face shone for a long while 
afterward. When he had done talking he wore a thick veil over his 
face. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



1 37 



I hope, dear children, that your faces will one day shine bright 
in heaven. If you love God now, I am sure one day you will see 
Him in heaven, and then you will be like the angels. 

Moses had been with God upon the mount a great many days. 
I have not told you 
what God was 
teaching him, but 
now you shall hear. 
God was showing 
him how to make a 
beautiful house. 

Whose house 
was it to be ? The 
house of God. God 
did not need a 
house, for His 
throne is in the 
sky ; but He was so 
kind as to say that 
He would let the 
Israelites make 
Him a house in 
the wilderness. 

When Moses 
came down from 
the mount he called 
all the people 
around him. He 
wanted to speak to 
them. 

He said first, 
" God desires you 
to do no work on the Sabbath-day, but to worship Him, and He is 
going to have a beautiful house made, where you can come and pray 
to Him. Who will bring me things with which to make the house ? " 




THE GOLDEN CALF. 



i 3 S MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Had the children of Israel any beautiful things that they could 
bring to Moses ? 

You remember that the women of Egypt had given them a great 
deal of gold and silver, and cloth and linen. They had made a calf 
with some of their gold, but they had a great deal more beside. 

But do you think they would give these things to God ? — or 
would they say, " We cannot spare our things : we mean to make 
hue clothes, and to make our tents look pretty inside ? " Do you 
think they would part with their pretty things ? Yes, they would. 
They all went to their tents after Moses had spoken to them. They 
opened their boxes and their baskets, and they took out gold and 
silver rings and earrings, and they took out beautiful pieces of cloth ; 
some were blue, some were purple, and some were scarlet : and a 
great deal of fine white linen, and skins of sheep and goats, and 
beautiful kinds of wood. They brought all these things to Moses. 
What a large heap there must have been ! 

Some of the rich men had beautiful shining stones, and sweet 
spices, and oil ; and they brought them to Moses. 

Moses was pleased to see that the people would give their things 
to God, and, most of all, he was glad that they liked to give them. 
They did not feel sorry when they gave them, but they were glad 
that they had something to give. If we feel sorry when we give 
things, God is not pleased. 

Who was to make the beautiful house? It was very hard to 
make such a beautiful house as God would choose to have. 

Moses called the children of Israel and said, " God has made 
two men very clever in cutting stones, in carving wood, and in 
making all kinds of curious things, and He has told me their names." 

Then Moses called these two men, and he gave them all these 
beautiful things and said, " Now begin to make the house, and I will 
tell you what you shall make." And Moses called every one to help 
them : and he told these two clever men to teach the others. 

It is God who makes people clever : so that when people can 
make beautiful things they should not be proud, but they should 
thank God. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



139 



So all these people began to work. The women spun blue, and 
purple, and scarlet thread, and worsted, the men made the thread into 
linen and cloth ; they cut the wood with saws and hammers ; the}^ 
melted the gold and 
silver in the fire, and 
then made altars, 
and candlesticks, 
and shovels, and 
tongs, and basins, 
and niany other 
things. They 
worked hard for 
many months, till 
all the things were 
finished. 

I will now tell 
yon what sort of a 
house God had told 
Moses to make. 

It was not a 
house made of bricks 
or stone ; because 
this house was to be 
moved from one 
place to another : so 
it was not fastened 
to the ground, but 
it was made like a 
tent, and it could be 
moved very easily. 

You never saw so large a tent as this tent was. It was as big as 
a very large room. It was called " The Tabernacle." 

There were a great many boards that were placed upright on the 
ground, and close together. These boards were the walls of the 
house : but there were no boards at the top ; curtains were thrown 




THE CHILDREN OE ISRAEL DELIVER THEIR TREASURES TO 
MOSES. 



140 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 




over the house to cover the top. There was no door to the house, 
but a curtain hung down in front, and that curtain was instead of 
a door. 

There was no floor to the house : green grass was the only 

floor. The house 
was very beautiful ; 
for the boards were 
covered with gold, 
and the curtains 
were blue, purple 
and scarlet, and 
there were five posts 
of gold in front, 
over which a cur- 
tain hung down for 
the door, of which 
I told you before. 

The house had 
two rooms inside. 
The first room was 
the largest. I will 
tell you about the 
beautiful things 
that were placed in 
them. 

In the first room 
there were three 
very beautiful 
things. 

1. In the mid- 
dle, an altar of gold ; 
but no lambs were burned upon it, only sweet spices, which made 
the tabernacle smell most sweet. The burning spices were called 
" incense." 

2. On one side there was a golden table, and on the table 






THE AI/TAR OF INCENSE. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 141 

twelve loaves. They were called the she w-b read, or holy bread. 
There was fresh bread put there every Sabbath-da}-. 

3. On the other side there was a golden candlestick with seven 
lamps. There was no window in the tabernacle, but these lamps 
made it light. 

This room was very beautiful and sweet, but there was another 
room still more beautiful. 

It was the inner room on the other side of the curtain. There 
was a curtain between the big room and the little room. This 
curtain was instead of a door. It was called "The Vail." 

In the little room there was a golden box, with golden angels 
on the top. This box was called " The Ark." Inside the box the 
book of stone was placed. But what made this room so glorious was, 
that God used to come down in His cloud, and fill this little room 
with His brightness. 

The cloud rested between the golden angels on the top of the 
box. 

The top of the box was called the merc3 T -seat, because God sat 
there, and God is full of love and mercy. This little room was 
called "The Holy of Holies." 

It had no window in it, and no candle, but yet it was light. The 
glory of God made it light ! for God, you know is brighter than the 
sun. What a sweet place this little room must have been ! It makes 
me think of heaven, for there God lives, and there He shines. But 
heaven is not a little place. It is a very large place, and it will hold 
all the people who have loved God on earth, besides all the angels. 

I will not tell you any more about the tabernacle now ; but I will 
write down the names of things in the tabernacle. Can you 
remember what they were ? 

In the first room — 

1. The golden altar. 

2. The table of shew-bread. 

3. The golden candlestick. 

In the little room, or Holy of Holies — 
The Ark. 



142 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



The Wonders and Beauties of the Tabernacle. 

I have told you what kind of a place the tabernacle was. I am 
now going to tell you of some things that were placed outside of it. 

You know that 
houses often have a 
garden round them. 
The tabernacle had 
no garden round it, 
but there was a 
large piece of 
ground near it, 
called the court ; 
and there were posts 
round the court. 
These posts were 
placed at a little 
distance from each 
other, and curtains 
were hung between 
the posts ; so there 
was a wall of cur- 
tains round the 
tabernacle. 

I n this court 
there were two 
things of which I 
shall speak to you. 
1. A brass altar. 
This altar was 
very large. It was 
not like the little altar of gold inside the tabernacle. This altar 
was not for the burning of spices, but for the burning of beasts, such 
as sheep, goats, bulls, and calves. This brass altar was for the 
sacrifices. 




THE BRASS AI/TAR. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



143 



The lamb was to be killed, aud its blood would flow all round 
the altar, and the smoke of the burning would go up to the sky. 

2. A brass basin was placed in the court. 

It was very large, and it was filled with water for the people to 
wash in. I shall 
soon tell you who 
washed in this 
basin. 

God said that 
Aaron should be 
the 

Aaron was to 
the sacrifices, to 
burn the incense, 
and to light the 



" High Priest." 
offer 




lamps of the candle- 
stick. 

God said that 
Aaron might go 
into the little room, 
the Holy of Holies. 
God would not allow 
any person but 
Aaron to go in there, 
and He only 
allowed him to go 
in once every year. 
Aaron might lift up 
the vail, and see the 
cloud upon the 
mercy-seat. Moses 
might go in as well 
as Aaron : and God promised to speak to him in that little room. God 
desired Moses to have some beautiful clothes made for Aaron to wear. 
The two clever men, of whom I told you before, knew how to make them. 



THE BRASS BASIN FOR THE PEOPLE TO WASH IN. 



144 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

i. He was to wear a white dress, with long sleeves. 

2. A robe of blue. He was to wear this over the white dress. 
Little golden bells were hung round the edge of it : and they would 
sound sweetly as Aaron moved along. 

3. An ephod made of white linen, worked all over with purple, 
scarlet, and gold. Aaron was to wear the ephod over the blue robe. 

4. A band round his waist, called a girdle. It was made of white 
linen, and was worked with purple, scarlet thread, and with gold 
wire. 

5. A breastplate. Aaron was to wear this in front. It was made 
of linen, covered with twelve shining stones. It was to be fastened 
to Aaron's shoulders by gold chains. 

6. A mitre. Aaron was to wear a high white cap upon his head, 
called a mitre. A piece of gold was on the mitre, and on the gold 
was written, " Holiness to the Lord." Aaron ought to be hoi}', 
because he was to offer sacrifices to God. 

He was to wear no shoes upon his feet : but he was often to 
wash his feet and his hands at the brass basin. 

Aaron had four sons. God said that they should help him to 
offer sacrifices. His sons were to wear white clothes, but not the 
same beautiful clothes as Aaron. They were to be called " Priests," 
and Aaron was to be called u High Priest." 

At last God desired Moses to set up the tabernacle. 

Then Moses put upon Aaron his beautiful robes, and put the 
white clothes upon his sons, and anointed their heads with oil. 

Then God came down in His cloud, and His brightness filled the 
whole place; and so God showed that He would have it for His 
house. 

Was it not pleasant for the Israelites to think that God lived in 
a house in the midst of them ? The cloud could be seen outside the 
tabernacle as well as inside, and in the night it shone like fire. How 
kind it was of God to let the people see some of His brightness ! 
God wished them to be very good, and to obey all He said. God is 
very near us, too, though we cannot see Him ; but we hope to see 
Him some day. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 145 

What place is more beautiful thau the tabernacle was? Heaven. 
If we get to heaven, we shall be much more glorious than Aaron was, 
and we shall see God's face forever and ever, and so we shall be quite 
happy. 



Story of the Twelve Spies. 

Now the Israelites had a place in which to worship God and to 
offer sacrifices. 

Every morning the priest offered up a lamb on the brass altar, 
and burned incense on the golden altar in the tabernacle. And every 
evening they offered another lamb, and burned some more incense. 

The people went into the great court of the tabernacle to worship 
God, and to see the lamb killed and burned on the altar. Afterward 
they saw Aaron go into the tabernacle to burn incense. The people 
stood in the court while Aaron was in the tabernacle praying for 
them. They waited till he came out again to bless them. He lifted 
up his hands and said, " The Lord bless thee, and keep thee." 

While the people had been making the tabernacle, they had 
stayed in one place near the great mount, Sinai ; but soon after it was 
finished the cloud of God moved. Then the priests blew two silver 
trumpets, to tell the people that they were to move to another place. 

Then the people packed up their tents and furniture, and put 
them on the backs of their camels and asses. 

Then the priests went into the tabernacle, and covered all the 
things in it with blue cloths. No one might look while they were 
covering the things. Then they gave them to some men to carry upon 
their shoulders : but they covered the ark with the beautiful veil, and 
they carried it themselves. There were two long golden sticks fas- 
tened to it; the priests held the ends of the sticks, and so they 
carried it. 

Then the priests desired some men to carry the curtains and the 
posts, and the boards of the tabernacle. The priests went first 
with the ark, and all the people followed them, and God in the cloud 
showed them the way. 



146 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



When the cloud stopped, the priests and the people stopped, and 
set up the tabernacle and the tents. 

In this manner the Israelites traveled all through the wilderness, 
until at last they came quite near the land of Canaan. So the 

Israelites came to 
Moses and said, 
" We wish to send 
some men to look at 
the land, and we 
wish them to come 
back and tell us 
what kind of a land 
it is." 

Then Moses 
asked God if He 
would like for the 
men to go. Soon 
God said to Moses, 
" Send twelve men 
into Canaan to see 
the land." So 
Moses called twelve 
of the children of 
Israel, and said to 
them, " Go into 
Canaan, and walk 
up among the high 
mountains, and look 
at the land : see 
whether there are 
many people living 
in the land, and what kind of people they are ; whether they are strong 
or weak : see whether there are many trees, and much corn and grass 
in the land ; and bring back some fruit, to show us the kind of fruit 
that grows in the land." 




AARON BLESSING THE PEOPLE. 




(147) 



148 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



So the twelve men set out on their journey. These men were 
called the twelve spies. They walked up and down the hills, and by 
the side of the water. They saw sweet gardens, and some fields 
covered with sheep, and some fields full of corn, and trees laden with 

fruit ; and they 
saw holes in the 
trees, which the 
bees had filled with 
honey, so that 
honey dropped on 
the ground. They 
saw large towns 
with high walls 
round them, and 
they saw man}^ 
strong men, and 
some of them were 
giants. 

At last they 
came to a brook or 
pond. A vine grew 
by it, and on the 
vine there were 
ripe grapes ; one 
of the bunches was 
very, very large. 
They said, " Let 
us bring it back to 
show to the chil- 
dren of Israel." 
One man could not 
carry this bunch 
by himself. So they took a staff, or stick, and fastened the bunch 
of grapes to the staff, and one man held one end of the staff, and 
another held the other. The rest of the men picked figs and other 




THE RETURN OF THE SPIES. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 149 

fruit, and carried them back to the tents. The spies were forty days 
looking at the land of Canaan. 

When the}' came back, the people saw the beautiful bunch of 
grapes. There were no such grapes in the wilderness. The spies 
then said, " The land of Canaan is a fine land, full of milk and 
honey ; but we cannot get into it, for the people live in great towns 
with high walls ; they are very strong, and some of them are giants, 
and when w T e saw them, we felt as if we were as little grasshoppers." 

Then the children of Israel were very much frightened, and 
began to murmur and to weep. 

u Ah ! " said the people, " we shall be killed if we try to 
get in." 

It was wicked to say this, because God had promised to help the 
Israelites to get into Canaan. It is wicked not to believe what God 
says. 

Two of the spies were very good men ; their names were Joshua 
and Caleb. The}' did not wish to frighten the people : and Caleb 
stood up and said, " Let us go into the land, for we can conquer the 
people that are in it." 

But the ten other spies said, " No, we cannot, because the people 
of Canaan are stronger than we." 

These ten spies were very wicked men, because they knew that 
God had promised to help the Israelites to conquer the men of 
Canaan, and they ought to have told the people to trust in God. 

The Israelites cried all night long, and they were angry with 
Moses and Aaron for bringing them out of Egypt, and said, " Oh, 
that we had died in Egypt, or in the wilderness ! The people of 
Canaan will kill us with their swords, and they will kill our wives 
and our little children !" 

They spoke in this way all night long, instead of praying to 
God to help them. 

At last they said, '- Let us go back into Egypt." 

They knew that Moses would not take them back. So they 
said, " We can make another man captain ever us, and he will take 
us back to Egypt." 



*5o 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



Moses and Aaron heard these wicked words ; they were full of 
grief, and they fell down on the ground on their faces. They were 
grieved to see the people so wicked. Then Joshua and Caleb stood 

up and said to the 
people, " We have 
seen the land, and 
it is a very beauti- 
ful land ; and if we 
trust in God He 
will help us to 
fight : but the peo- 
ple of Canaan have 
no God to help 
them ; therefore we 
ought not to be 
afraid of them." 

The children 
of Israel would not 
listen to Joshua 
and Caleb, but were 
going to kill them 
with stones, when 
God shone brightly 
upon the taber- 
nacle, so that the 
people saw that He 
was angry. 

Moses was 
lying on his face 
on the ground, but 
God spake to him, 
and said, " How long will this people provoke Me ? I will kill them 
with a plague." Then Moses prayed to God for the people. 

" Oh, pardon this people," he said, " their great sin. Thou hast 
forgiven them many times, and Thy mercy is very great." 




THE PEOPLE THREATEN TO STONE CALEB AND JOSHUA. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 151 

God heard Moses' prayer, and said, " I have pardoned them. I 
will not kill them all now, but they shall not come into Canaan : only 
their children shall come in. They shall stay in the wilderness forty 
years, and they shall all" die in it ; and when their children are grown 
np, they shall go into the land of Canaan. But there are two of the 
men who shall go into Canaan, — they are Caleb and Joshua." 

The ten wicked spies soon fell sick and died, but Joshua and 
Caleb lived still. 



The Story of Baalani. 

In the land of the Midianites there dwelt a prophet named 
Baalam. But although Baalani was a prophet of the true God I am 
sorry to say he does not seem to have been a good man, for he 
would have cursed the children of Israel if God had permitted 
him to do so. 

When the people came near to the borders of the Midianites 
their king, Balak, sent messengers to Baalam, asking him to come 
and curse the children of Israel, " for," said he, " I wot that he 
whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is 
cursed." 

Baalam asked the men whom Balak had sent to stay with 
him all night, and he would let them know in the morning what 
the Lord should speak to him during the night. When the men 
were asleep the Lord spoke to Baalam and told him that he should 
not go with them; "thou shalt not curse the people, for they are 
blessed." 

So when the morning came Baalam told the men that the 
Lord would not permit him to go with them, and they returned to the 
king. 

When Balak heard their report he sent other men, more dis- 
tinguished than the first, and told them to say to Baalam that he 
must not let anything hinder him from coming, and that if he 
would curse the children of Israel he would promote him to very 
great honor. 



J 52 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



Baalam answered the men and said, " If Balak would give me 
his house full of silver and gold I cannot go beyond the word of 
the Lord my God to do less or more." But he requested them to 

remain with him 
all night that he 
might know what 
the Lord would say 
to him. 

In the night 
while they slept 
the Lord came to 
Baalam and told 
him he could go 
with the men, but 
he must speak only 
the words that 
would be told him. 
God did this to 
try Baalam and see 
if his heart was 
right, for he did 
not intend that any 
harm should come 
to the children of 
Israel. 

When morn- 
ing came Baalam 
arose and saddled 
his ass and went 
with the men, and 
God's anger was 
kindled against him because of his perverseness. As they passed 
along the road an angel stood in the way with a drawn sword in 
his hand. Baalam could not see the angel, but the ass saw him 
and turned aside into the field. Then Baalam beat the ass and 




BAAUM SEES THE ANGEI,. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 153 

turned her back into the road; but they had gone only a little 
way when the angel appeared again in the path, between two 
vineyards, where there was a stone wall on either side, and the 
ass, being greatly frightened, thrust herself to one side against the 
wall and crushed Baalam's foot; whereupon Baalam beat her again 
and forced her to go on. 

Soon the}- came to a narrow way, where there was no room 
to turn to either side, and here the angel appeared once more in 
the path with his drawn sword in his hand. Then the poor ass 
fell down and trembled with fright, and Baalam, being exceedingly 
angry, beat her with his staff. But the Lord opened the mouth of 
the ass and she said to Baalam, " What have I done unto thee that 
thou hast smitten me these three times." And Baalam replied in 
his anger, " Because thou hast mocked me. I would there were a 
sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee." Then the poor 
ass said, " Am I not thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever 
since I was thine unto this day ? Was I ever wont to do so unto 
thee?" 

Then Baalam's eyes were opened and he saw the angel standing 
in the way with his sword drawn in his hand, and Baalam was so 
frightened that he fell down flat upon his face. The angel then 
asked him why he had been so cruel and wicked as to beat the 
unoffending ass three times, for, said he, if she had not turned aside 
he would have slain Baalam with his sword. On hearing this 
Baalam became very sorry for his wickedness and begged the angel 
to forgive him, and said he would return to his home if it was dis- 
pleasing to the Lord for him to go with the men. But the angel 
told him to go, and commanded him that he should speak only the 
words that were told him. 

So Baalam and the men proceeded on the way until they came 
to the city where Balak lived. Then Balak came out to meet them, 
and he made a great sacrifice, and told Baalam that he would 
bestow many honors upon him if he would curse the Israelites and 
drive them away. But Baalam told Balak that he could only speak 
the words that the Lord should put into his mouth. 



i 5 4 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Three times Balak offered sacrifices and sent Baalam up to the 
top of a high hill where he could see the children of Israel 
encamped on the plain, and told him to curse them; but each time 
the Lord put blessings into his mouth instead of curses. 

Then Balak became very angry and sent Baalam back to his 
home, but soon afterward the .soldiers that fought under Moses and 
Joshua overran the country of the Midianites and slew both Balak 
and Baalam. 



The Sin of Moses and Aaron, and Aaron's Death. 

The children of Israel lived in the wilderness a great many 
years. They moved about from place to place. 

At last they came to a place where there was no water. 

How do you think they behaved ? Did they pray to God, or 
did they murmur ? 

They murmured against Moses and Aaron, as they always did 
when they were unhappy. 

They said, " Oh that we had died before this time ! Why did 
you bring us out of Egypt into this wilderness ? Here there are no 
figs, no grapes, no nice fruit, and now there is no water to drink ! " 

Moses and Aaron were very much grieved to hear them murmur, 
and they went away from the people, and fell on their faces before the 
tabernacle ; and soon God spoke to them. 

He said, " Take the rod and call the people, and go to the rock 
and speak to it, and water shall come out of the rock, and then the 
people and the beasts shall drink." 

So Moses took the rod, which was kept near the ark. Then 
Moses and Aaron called the people together, and told them to look at 
what they were going to do. 

Moses and Aaron felt very angry with the people, and they said, 
" Hear now, ye rebels ! must we fetch water for you out of this rock ? " 

Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with 
his rod ; and the water came flowing out in streams, and the people 
and the cattle began to drink. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



J 55 



Do you think Moses and Aaron had behaved right ? Had God 
told them to strike the rock ? 

God had said, " Speak to the rock." 

Was it right to speak so impatiently, and to say, " Must we fetch 
water for you, ye 
rebels ? " 

Moses and 
Aaron had been in 
a passion. God was 
displeased with 
them. 

Soon after- 
ward, God said to 
Moses and Aaron, 
" Because you have 
done this, 3^ou shall 
not go into 
Canaan: 3^ou shall 
die in the wilder- 
ness." 

What a great 
punishment this 
was ! Moses had 
often longed to 
see that sweet land 
of Canaan ; he had 
often wished to 
see the Israelites 
happy in their own 
houses and gar- 
dens; he had 
longed to see the 
place where Abraham had built altars and worshiped God ; but now 
he must die in the wilderness. He prayed to God not to inflict this 
punishment upon him ; but God would not grant his request. He 




THE PEOPLE MURMUR AGAINST MOSES AND AARON. 



156 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



said, "Ask me no more to do this." Then Moses knew that he must 
bear his punishment. 

Moses was the meekest man in all the world. The Israelites 
had often spoken ungratefully to him, and he had made no answer. 

Yet at last he him- 
self fell into a pas- 
sion. 

You see how 
much God hates 
passion. God 
wishes us to be 
very meek, like 
the Lord Jesus 
Christ, who never 
spoke an angry 
word. 

Was it unkind 
of God to punish 
Moses and Aaron ? 
God cannot be 
unkind, but He 
will punish people 
for disobedience. 
God wished to 
show the Israelites 
that He would not 
allow any person 
to be disobedient — 
not even Moses. 

At last the 
time came for 
Aaron to die, for 
God chose Aaron to die first. God said to Moses, "Go up to the 
top of the hill with Aaron, and take Aaron's eldest son with you, 
and Aaron will die on the top, and you must put his clothes upon 



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DEATH OF AARON. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 157 

liis son." God chose Aaron's son to be high-priest instead of Aaron, 
so he was to wear Aaron's clothes. 

So Aaron put on his beautiful high-priest's clothes ; his blue 
robe with the golden bells, and his ephod over it, his shining breast- 
plate, and his white mitre, with the golden writing upon it. Then 
Aaron walked with Moses and his son to the top of the hill, and all 
the people looked at them as they were walking up. Aaron knew 
that he should never walk down that hill, but still he obeyed God, 
and bore his punishment meekly. 

When they were come to the top, Moses took the beautiful 
clothes off his brother Aaron, and put them on Aaron's son. 

Moses parted from his brother Aaron on the top of the hill ; for 
there Aaron died. Moses and his son left him dead upon the top, and 
came down the hill together. Then the people saw that Aaron was 
dead, and that there was another high-priest. 



The Brazen Serpent. 

The children of Israel traveled in the wilderness a great many 
years. Sometimes, when they were close to Canaan, the cloud moved 
the other way, and the Israelites were obliged to go on traveling in 
the wilderness. This made them very unhappy, for they longed 
very much to get into the sweet land of Canaan. If they had not 
behaved so ill in the wilderness, they would soon have got to Canaan ; 
but God punished them by not letting them get in. 

How do you think they bore their punishment ? You know 
that they were always ready to murmur. They spoke against God 
and against Moses. They said, " Why have you brought us out of 
Egypt ? We shall die in the wilderness. There is no bread here, 
nor any water, and we do not like this manna." 

Was the manna nice food ? It was fit for angels — spotless white, 
and sweet as honey ; it came down from heaven, and did not grow out 
of the ground as corn does. Yet these ungrateful Israelites said that 
they hated it, and were tired of eating it. 



158 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



God sent them a dreadful punishment this time. You know- 
there were wild beasts and horrible serpents and scorpions in the 
wilderness, but God took care of the Israelites, so that they were not 

hurt by them ; but 
now God sent ser- 
pents, whose 
mouths burned 
like fire. These 
serpents came 
rushing among the 
tents. The Israel- 
ites could not get 
away from them. 
If they climbed up 
a high place, the 
serpents could 
climb after them, 
and they could get 
through the small- 
est places. 

Many, many 
of the Israelites 
were bitten by 
these serpents. 
After they had 
been bitten they 
grew sick, and 
were full of pain, 
and got worse and 
worse, till at last 
they died. There 
was no medicine that could cure these bites ; no plaster could 
make them well ; every person who was bitten was sure to die. 

The Israelites came to Moses, and said, " We have sinned ; 
we have spoken against the Lord, and against you ; pray to the 




THE BRAZEN SERPENT. 






MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 159 

Lord that He take the serpents from us." For the serpents were 
still among the tents. 

Did Moses pra}^ to God for the people ? or did he say, " You 
deserve to be punished, and I will not help you ? " Moses was 
kind and forgiving, and he prayed for the people. 

The Lord heard Moses' prayer, and He did more than Moses 
asked ; for He not only called away the serpents, but He told him 
how to cure the people who w T ere bitten by the serpents. 

God said to Moses, u Take some brass, and make it into the 
image of a serpent, and put it on a pole, and tell the people who 
are bitten to look at it, and those who look shall be made well." 

Was not this a strange way of making them well ? 

Moses believed God. He took some brass, and made it soft in 
the fire ; and then made it like one of the fiery serpents and put it 
on a pole, and lifted it up, where every one could see it, and called 
to the sick people to look quickly at the serpent and be made well. 

The people who were bitten could crawl to the door of their tents, 
and lift up their dying eyes toward the serpent. After they had 
looked their pain went away ; they felt well and strong ; they could 
walk and praise God. 



The Death of Moses. 

The time was almost come for Moses to die. The Israelites 
were very soon to go into Canaan, but Moses was not to go there 
with them. 

Moses had written a great many books while he had been in the 
wilderness, and now he had almost finished them. Should you like 
to know what Moses had written about in these books ? 

He had written about how God made the world, how Adam ate 
the fruit, how Cain killed Abel. He had written about Noah, and 
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob ; he had written about Joseph and his 
wicked brethren ; he had written about himself, how he had been 
saved from the water when he was a baby. He had written about the 
ten plagues, and the ten commandments, and the tabernacle ; he had 



i6o MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

written about his own sin. All I have told you Moses had written 
down in five books. They have all been copied in other books, and 
we can read all Moses wrote, for it is in the Bible. 

But how did Moses know all these things ? He was not born 
when God made the world. How could he write about things he 
never saw? Could anybody have told him how God made the 
world ? No one was born when God made the world ; no one but 
God could tell him, and God did tell him. 

God spake to Moses by his Spirit; while Moses was writing 
with his pen, God was putting thoughts in his mind ; so he always 
knew what to write. 

Moses did not write in such books as you have seen. His paper 
was rolled up like a piece of cloth at the shop. He wrote five rolls, 
and those he called his books. If you had read in Moses' book, you 
must have unrolled it as you read it. 

When Moses had done writing his books, he called the priests, 
and told them to take care of his books. Moses said to them, " You 
must read these books to all the Israelites, the men, the women, and 
the little children, that they may know how to please God." 

Moses knew that he must soon leave the Israelites. He wished 
very much that some good man should take care of them after he was 
dead ; for he loved them very much, though they had behaved so ill to 
him. So Moses begged God to give them to the care of some good 
man ; and God heard his prayer and said to Moses, " I have found a 
man who will take care of the children of Israel after you are dead." 

Who do you think this man was? It was Joshua, one of the 
good spies : he had helped Moses to do God's work for forty years ; so 
that Moses had taught him a great deal. Moses was very glad that 
Joshua would take care of the Israelites when he was dead. 

Moses called Joshua and said to him, " God will let you take the 
children of Israel into Canaan ; you must be very brave, for you will 
have to fight against the wicked people ; but God will help you : so 
do not be afraid. God never will leave you, nor forsake you." 

Moses wished to speak to the people before he died, and advise 
them to be good ; so he called all the people together, and told them 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



161 



lie was going to die. " I am very old," said he ; "I ain a hundred 

and twenty years old this day. I offended God, and I must not go 

into the land of Canaan ; but Joshua will take you there. Remember 

to obe}- God, and 

to love Him, and 

He will always 

bless 3^ou ; but if 

3'ou worship idols 

and are wicked, 

God will punish 

you." 

God told 
Moses to teach the 
people a song, that 
they might sing it 
after he was dead. 
This song was 
about God's kind- 
ness to the chil- 
dren of Israel. 

My dear chil- 
dren, you learn 
pretty songs or 
hymns about God. 
Do you know w T hy 
you are taught to 
repeat them ? It 
is to help you to 
think of God, that 
you may love Him. 
Some children re- 
peat their hymns as soon as they wake in the morning. After Moses 
had taught the people the song, he blessed them, and then he left 
them for ever. God said to Moses, " Go up that high mountain 
alone : I cannot let you go into Canaan, but I will let you see that 
ii 




MOSES BLESSES THE PEOPLE. 



l62 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



beautiful land of Canaan from the top of that mountain. " Moses 
was glad that he might see Canaan, though he might not go in. 
So he went up the mountain quite alone. He was very old, yet he 

was not weak ; he 
could walk as well 
as when he was 
young, and he 
could see as well ; 
for his eyes were 
not dim ; he read, 
and wrote, and saw 
things far off. God 
had not let him 
grow weak or 
blind. 

I think the 
Israelites must 
have felt very sad 
when they saw 
Moses go up that 
mountain all alone, 
and when they 
knew they should 
see him no more. 

I hope they 
felt sorry for hav- 
ing behaved so ill 
to him, and for hav- 
ing so provoked 
him at the rock. 
What a kind friend 
Moses had been to them ! When Moses was at the top of the hill, 
he looked and saw the land of Canaan a great way off. It was a 
beautiful land, and full of green hills, and rivers, of fields ripe with 
corn, and of trees laden with fruit. Moses was glad that the 




BURJAI, OF MOSES. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES.- 163 

children of Israel would live in such a sweet land, where they might 
worship God. 

When he had looked at the land, he died. No friend was near 
to close his eyes, or to hear his last sigh : no brother's hand was there 
to wrap hiin in his grave-clothes, or to cover him with the green 
earth. 

Would God leave Moses' body to be eaten by the wild beasts, to 
be pecked by the birds of the air ? No ; God Himself buried Moses : 
not upon the top of the hill, but in some secret place under the hill. 
No one knows where Moses lies, but the angels, who carried his soul to 
God — they know ; for they watch over God's dear children in the dust. 

Thus Moses died. He was the only man to whom God talked 
as a friend : God spoke to Moses face to face, as friends talk to each 
other. 

I shall tell you no more of Moses. You remember that he might 
have been a prince in the land of Egypt. King Pharaoh's daughter 
saved him from the water, and she gave him fine things, and called 
him her son. But Moses wished to help the poor children of Israel, 
and he did not choose to be a prince in Egypt. 

Was it not much better that Moses should help the poor children 
of Israel, than that he should be rich and grand ? 

You see that God loved Moses, and made him His friend, and 
took him to heaven when he died. 

Now, I hope all children will be like Moses. I hope that when 
you are grown up you will try to help poor people, and teach themi 
to be kind to one another. 



Joshua, the Great General. 

The Israelites were now come close to the land of Canaan. They 
were sorry that Moses was dead ; but Joshua was now to take care of 
them instead of Moses. Joshua was to tell them what to do. God 
would speak to him, and he would tell them what God said. 

The Israelites would soon have to fight a great deal. Whom 
would they have to fight against ? The wicked people who lived in 



1 64 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



Canaan. God chose that they should be killed to punish them for 
their wickedness, and God chose that the Israelites should live in 
their land instead of them. There was a great river that rolled 

between the wilder- 
ness and Canaan. 
The Israelites 
would be obliged 
to cross the river 
before they could 
get into Canaan. 
They could see the 
green hills of 
Canaan on the 
other side of the 
river, and they saw 
a great town also 
with high walls all 
round it. This 
town was called 
Jericho. It was 
in Canaan, and 
wicked people 
lived in it. The 
Israelites knew 
that they would 
soon have to fight 
against the people 
who lived in this 
town. Joshua told 
two of the Israel- 

JOSHUA, THE NEW DEADER OF THE ISRAELITES. 

ites to go to the 
town and to look at it, and to come back and tell him about the 
town, and about the people who lived in it. These men were called 
" spies," because they went to spy or to look at the town. Joshua 
did not wish the people of Jericho to know when these two spies 




MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 165 

came into the town, lest the wicked people should kill them. So 
they went to the town when it was almost dark. The spies got 
over the river : there was one place in the river where the water 
was not very deep, and where people conld get over. This was 
called a ford. 

The gate of Jericho used to be shut when it was dark ; but the 
spies came just before the gate was shut. They went to the house of 
a woman named Rahab, who kept an inn. Her house was built upon 
the wall of Jericho. The spies hoped that nobody had seen them 
come into Jericho ; but some people had seen them, and these people 
went and told the king of Jericho that two Israelites were in Rahab's 
house. The king knew that the Israelites meant to come and fight 
against him, so he wanted to kill these two spies, and he sent some 
men to Rahab's house to bring them to him. 

What could the poor spies do ? Where could they go ? But 
God took care of them. He put it into Rahab's heart to be kind to 
them. Rahab had taken the spies, when they first came, to the top 
of her house, to hide them. The roof of her house was flat, like the 
floor. On the roof of Rahab's house there were a great many stalks 
of flax. Flax is a plant which grows in large stalks, and the stalks 
are covered with a strong bark. This bark is peeled off, and is very 
fine and soft, and when woven in a loom it makes a beautiful white 
cloth, called linen. Rahab had spread the stalks of flax upon the roof 
of her house to dry them. When the spies had climbed up the stairs 
to the top of the house, she told them to lie down ; and she covered 
them all over with stalks, so that nobody could see them. 

The men who were come to bring the spies to the king of 
Jericho, could not find them in Rahab's house, so they went to look 
for them outside the city, among the hills, and by the river-side. 

When the king of Jericho's men were gone, Rahab crept up the 
stairs to speak to the spies. It was night, so she could talk to them 
on the roof without being seen. The men came from under the 
heaps of flax. Rahab had been taught to worship idols ; but you 
will see that she now believed in the true God, and not in idols. She 
had a great favor to ask of the spies. She was very much afraid 



1 66 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



lest, when the Israelites came over the river to fight against Jericho, 
they should kill her and her friends : so now she begged the spies 
to promise to save her, and those she loved. Poor Rahab said, " I 

know that God will 
let the people of 
Israel come and 
live in Canaan. 
Everybody is very 
much frightened 
lest you should kill 
them. We have 
heard how your 
God helped you to 
pass through the 
Red Sea. I know 
that your God is 
the only true God. 
Now promise, that 
when you come to 
this town you will 
not kill me, nor my 
father and mother, 
and brothers and 
sisters. I have been 
kind to you, and 
will you be kind 
to me ? " 

The spies said, 
" If you will not 
tell anybody about 
our having come 
here, we promise to save your life, and the lives of your father and 
mother, and brothers and sisters." 

Then Rahab helped the spies to get out of the town. But it 
was night, and the gates were shut. If the spies waited till morning, 




ESCAPE OF THE SPIES. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 167 

the people of Jericho would see them going out, and would kill them. 
But Rahab found a way of letting the spies go. 

Her house was built on the walls of Jericho. One of the 
windows looked toward the green hills outside of Jericho. The 
window was high ; so Rahab took a rope, and tied it round one of 
the men, and let him down from the window ; and then she tied it 
around the other man, and let him down. 

When the men were standing on the ground outside the wall 
of Jericho, they called to Rahab, who was looking out of the window, 
and the}^ said, " Take that red rope, and bind it to your window ; 
bring 3 T our father and mother, and brothers and sisters, into your 
house. If they stay in it with you, we promise that they shall not 
be killed when the Israelites come to fight against this town ; but 
if you, or any of your relations, are walking in the streets when we 
come, then, perhaps, you or they may be killed. Neither may you 
tell any other person about our having come here : you must keep 
it a secret." When the spies had said this they went away, and 
they hid themselves among the hills for three days, lest the men 
of Jericho should be w r atching by the river to kill them. At the 
end of three days they got over the river, and came back to Joshua, 
and told him all that had happened. Joshua was glad to hear 
that the people of Jericho were so much frightened, and he felt sure 
that God would help him to conquer all the people in Canaan. 

The spies told Joshua about Rahab. They said, " You will 
know which house is Rahab's, because she has bound a red rope 
to the window." Joshua desired that nobody would kill the people 
in the house with the red rope on the window. 



The Children of Israel Cross the River Jordan. 

The people of Israel were now close. to Canaan; but a deep 
river ran between the wilderness and Canaan. It was called the 
River Jordan. How were the Israelites to get over it ? 

Could they go over in boats ? 



i68 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

How could wood be got to make boats for so many people ? 

Could they make a bridge ? The people in Canaan would 
have shot arrows at the Israelites while they were making a bridge. 

Could they swim over? 

How could the children and the women swim ? and how could 
they take their tents over ? 

God could help them to get over. How had they got over the 
Red Sea ? 

You shall hear what God told Joshua to do. 

Joshua rose up early in the morning, and he said to the people, 
" Look and see where the priests take the ark, and do you follow 
them, but do not go too near." 

Then Joshua said to the priests, " Take up the ark and go 
forward." 

The ark (which was a golden box) was covered with a blue 
cloth, that none might see it, or see the golden angels on the top. 
Two long sticks were run through the rings joined to the ark, 
and the priests held the ends of the sticks. 

The priests took up the ark when Joshua bade them. They 
went to the edge of the water, not knowing what they were to do. 
They were dressed in white, and their feet were bare. 

Joshua called to them, and desired them to stand still. Then 
he spoke to all the people. "Now," he said, " you will see a great 
wonder that God is going to do ; when the priests put their feet 
in the water a dry path shall be made." 

All the people were coming out of their tents. They had got 
all their things ready for their journey and were looking at the 
priests. 

Then Joshua desired the priests to put their feet into the 
water. 

As soon as they touched it, the water stood up like a wall on 
one side, and there was a dry path made through the river. The 
priests walked along till they came to the middle of the river ; then 
they stopped, and Joshua said to the people, " Now do you pass over 
Jordan." 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



While the people were crossing, the priests stood quite still in 
the middle of the dried-up river. At last, all the people had got 
over into the land of Canaan, except twelve men that Joshua had 
desired to sta} T on 
the other side. 

Joshua said to 
these men, " See 
where the priests 
are standing; there 
are great stones 
lying near them; 
take up twelve 
great stones and 
bring them over 
with you into 
Canaan." These 
twelve men walked 
through the dry 
path : each took up 
a great stone in 
his arms and car- 
ried it to the other 
side. Then Joshua 
said to them, " Put 
the twelve stones 
by the side of the 
river in Canaan." 

Why do you 
think the stones 
were to be put 
there? It was that 
people might never forget this great wonder of making a path 
in Jordan. God knew that, a long time afterward, little children 
would see the twelve stones, and would say to their fathers, " What 
are these stones for ? " 




THE PRIESTS BEARING THE ARK. 



170 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Then their fathers would say, " These stones were once at the 
bottom of the water : but God made a path for us, and we have 
put the stones here to keep God's kindness in our minds." 

God is pleased that children should wish to know the meaning 
of what they see. God wishes little children to know about His 
goodness, and the wonders He has done. 

When the twelve men had carried the twelve stones to the 
opposite bank of the river, Joshua said to the priests, u Come up 
out of Jordan : " so the priests came up out of the river. As soon 
as they put their feet on the dry land in Canaan the water rolled 
along, and the river flowed on as it had done before. 

How happy the Israelites must now have been ! They had 
wandered forty years in the wilderness, but at last they had 
safely arrived in Canaan. God had been very good to them, 
and He would help them to fight against the wicked people of 
Canaan. 

Why did God desire that the people in Canaan should be 
killed? Because they worshiped idols, and did a great many 
wicked things, so God chose to punish them. 

The king of Jericho saw the Israelites come over the river. 
He could look at them over his high walls. He was very much 
frightened, and so were all the people in Jericho. Only Rahab 
was not frightened : she knew she was safe ; she believed in the 
true God. 

The priests put down the ark : all the Israelites set up their 
tents, and waited outside Jericho. Rahab' s red cord could be seen 
upon her window on the wall. 

So the Israelites knew which was her house, and Joshua told 
them not to hurt the people who were in it. 

The gates of Jericho were kept fast shut, that the Israelites 
might not get in : no one in Jericho went out, and no one came 
in, but everybody kept inside the town. 

Those wicked people would never again walk by the river- 
side : the day of their death was very near. Ah ! why did they not 
turn to God before it was too late ? 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



171 



The Walls of Jericho Fall Down. 

The children of Israel had placed their tents all round the 
city of Jericho, but they waited till God told them what to do. 
The}^ could not get 
through the strong 
gates unless God 
helped them. 

Joshua was 
the captain of the 
Israelites. He was 
a very brave man. 
He trusted in God 
to help him, and 
that made him 
brave. 

I will now tell 
you a very wonder- 
ful thing that hap- 
pened to Joshua 
while he was on 
the outside of 
Jericho. 

One day he 
looked up, and he 
saw a man stand- 
ing before him a 
little way off. The 
man looked as if 
he were a soldier, 
and he held a 
sword in his hand. 
Joshua knew that this man was not one of the Israelites : but he 
could not tell who he was. Joshua went up to the man and said, 
" Are you come to help us to fight ? or are you come to help the 




THE ANGEL APPEARING TO JOSHUA. 



172 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

people of Jericho ? " Then the man answered, " I am come as 
captain of the army of the Lord." 

Then Joshua fell down with his face npon the ground, and 
worshiped Him, saying, u What will my Lord say to His servant? " 

(Joshua called himself God's servant.) 

Then the great captain of God's army said, " Take your shoes 
from off your feet, because this is holy ground." 

Then Joshua took his shoes off, and waited to know what the 
Lord would say to him. 

Why was the ground holy ? Because God was there. You know 
the priests wore no shoes when they walked in God's house. 

The Lord told Joshua how he was to fight against Jericho. 

Such a way of fighting was never known before. You shall 
soon hear what the Lord told Joshua to do. 

When the Lord had gone back to heaven, Joshua called the 
priests, and all the people of Israel, and showed them what they must 
do. Joshua told some of the priests to take up the ark. 

Then he called seven more priests and said, " Each of you must 
take a ram's horn, and walk before the ark." 

Then Joshua called all the soldiers, and told them to go before 
the priests, and he told the rest of the people that had not swords or 
spears to walk behind the priests. 

He desired them to walk round the city of Jericho. The 
soldiers, with their swords and spears, went first; next came seven 
priests, dressed in their white clothes, blowing the rams' horns. 
Then came the priests carrying the ark, and behind them all the 
people, but with no swords or spears. You never saw such a great 
number of people walking along. 

Before they set out, Joshua told them not to make any shoutings, 
but to wait until he said, " Shout ! " 

What is shouting? Calling out loud. Soldiers shout when 
they have conquered. The Israelites were not to shout till Joshua 
told them. They all walked once round Jericho. 

The people of Jericho heard the trumpets blowing, and they saw 
the men with swords and spears. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



*73 



I dare sa} T they thought the Israelites were going to shoot their 
arrows over the walls, and try and beat down the walls. How much 
frightened they must have been ! Rahab took care to keep in her 
house, with all her 
friend s. The 
Israelites walked 
once round, and 
then Joshua 
brought them 
back to their tents. 

Are you not 
surprised to hear 
this ? What was 
the use of walk- 
ing round ? You 
will hear what 
happened in the 
end. 

The next day 
Joshua made the 
people and the 
priests walk 
round once more, 
and then brought 
them home. Then, 
the next day after, 
the}- went round 
again: and the 
next day, and the 
next day. Six 
days, one after 
the other, they walked round Jericho, and came home to their tents 
again, without having fought. 

The Israelites behaved well in doing as Joshua told them, 
instead of asking why they must walk round without fighting. 




DESTRUCTION OF JERICHO. 



174 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Do you think that the people of Jericho began to laugh at the 
Israelites, and to think that they would never get into the city ? 

At last, after six days, Joshua told the Israelites to get up very 
early in the morning, as soon as it was light. He told them to walk 
all round as before ; but when they had walked round, he did not tell 
them to go back to their tents, but to walk round again. That day 
they walked round seven times : they spent the whole day in walking 
round and round the city of Jericho. 

When they had just finished walking round the seventh time, 
Joshua said to the people, " Now, when the priests blow again with 
the trumpets, you may shout : for God has given you the city. You 
will soon get in ; you must kill all the people, except Rahab and her 
friends that are in her house. You will find .many beautiful things 
in Jericho, but you must not keep anything for yourselves : but you 
must bring the cups of gold and silver, and brass and iron, to the 
Lord ; and you must not keep anything for yourselves. Bring all 
you find to the house of the Lord ; for God has cursed Jericho, and 
everything in it." 

When Joshua had done speaking, the priests blew again with 
the trumpets, and the people gave a great shout. At the same 
moment, the walls of Jericho fell down. How horrible was the crash 
of those great walls ! Now the men of Jericho saw that the day had 
come when they must die. 

The two spies ran quickly to Rahab's house, and brought her 
out, and her father and mother, and brothers and sisters, and led them 
to a safe place near the tents of the Israelites. Rahab and her friends 
brought all their things with them out of the house : so they could 
make tents, and live together. 

But what happened to the people of Jericho ? They were all 
killed, the men, the women, and the children — even the sheep, and 
cows, and all the beasts were killed ; not one was left alive. The 
Israelites killed them with their swords. Then they set fire to the 
houses, and burned them all up ; but the cups and basins, made of 
gold and silver, and brass and iron, they brought to the priests for 
God's house. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 175 

All the other people in Canaan heard about Jericho, and they 
were more frightened than before. They said, " What a great captain 
Joshua is ! " 

But you know who was the Captain that fought for Joshua. 
Who was it threw down the walls ? Was it not the man whom 
Joshua had seen ? He was a captain over thousands of angels that 
filled the air, and obeyed all He said. 



Conquest of Canaan and Death of Joshua. 

You have heard what the Israelites did to Jericho. There were 
a great many other cities in Canaan, and the Israelites fought against 
them. 

All the people of Canaan heard it, and were much afraid of 
Joshua ; but still they took their swords and spears, and fought 
against him. 

And who do you think conquered ? God always helped the 
Israelites ; so they always conquered. They went all through 
Canaan. First, they went to one city, and killed the people in it ; 
then they went to another city, and killed the people there ; so they 
went to hundreds of cities, till they had killed almost all the people 
in Canaan. God did not make the walls of the other cities fall down, 
like the walls of Jericho ; but the Israelites were obliged to fight very 
hard before they could get in. 

At last Joshua said to the children of Israel, " Now the people 
of Canaan are dead, I will give you places to live in." So he gave 
to each of the Israelites a house, full of nice and beautiful things, 
and a garden, and a field, and a well of water. 

Now the Israelites rested. They sat down under the fig-trees 
and vines in their own gardens, and ate the figs and grapes that grew 
on them, and they drank water out of the wells in their gardens. 

Did the Israelites build their own houses ? No ; they lived in 
the houses of the people of Canaan. The wicked people had built 
the houses, and they had dug the wells, and planted the trees in the 



176 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



gardens ; but God had taken them away from these wicked people, 
and had given them to the Israelites. 

Might God give them to whom He pleased ? Yes : God made 
everything, and everything belongs to God ; and He may give things 

to whom He 
pleases. Some- 
times He takes His 
things away from 
wicked people. 

There was one 
thing which 
Joshua did not for- 
get to do ; that was, 
to place the taber- 
nacle in Canaan. 
He set it up in the 
middle of Canaan, 
at a place called 
Shiloh. Now the 
Israelites would 
not be obliged to 
move it about any 
more. 

Joshua told 
them all to come 
up and worship 
God in the taber- 
nacle : but some 
lived so far off that 
they could not 
come often. So 
they came only 
now and then to the tabernacle. God desired the Israelites not to 
worship the idols that the wicked people in Canaan had made. The 
Israelites would find their idols in the fields and gardens ; and some 




JOSHUA COMMANDING THE SUN AND MOON TO STAND STII,!,. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



177 



of these idols were made of silver and gold : but they were not to 
keep them, even if they were pretty images ; they were not to take 
the idols into their houses : but they were to burn them in the fire ; 
because God hated 
these idols. 

At last Joshua 
grew very old, and 
he knew that he 
must die. So he 
called a great many 
of the Israelites 
together, that he 
might speak to 
them before he 
died. 

He stood near 
a great oak-tree 
while he spoke. 
He said to the 
Israelites, " I am 
soon going to die. 
Whom will you 
worship after I am 
dead ? Will you 
worship idols, or 
will you worship 
God who has been 
so kind to you ? " 

Now which do 
you think the 
Israelites would 
choose to worship ? They all said, " We will worship God." Then 
Joshua said, " If you choose to worship God, you must not worship 
idols too." 

Then they answered, " We will serve God." 
12 




DESTROYING IDOI<S. 



178 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

" Now," said Joshua, " you have promised to serve God only. 
You must keep your promise." 

Then Joshua took a book and wrote down what the people had 
said. Afterward he took a great stone, and put it under the oak, 
and said, " See this stone ; I have put it here to make you remember 
your promise always." 

Then he told all the people to go home. 

Very soon afterward . Joshua died. He was more than a 
hundred years old at that time. 

Did the Israelites keep their promise? Did they worship idols, 
or did they not ? 

At first they kept their promise. But at last they grew tired of 
serving God, and began to worship idols, and to do other wicked 
things, for which they were punished, as I will tell you in another 
part of this book. 



Story of Samson, the Strong Man. 

The Lord raised up many mighty men to deliver the children 
of Israel from their enemies. Jephthah was one of these. You may 
read the story of him in Judges, chapter xi. 

After the death of Jephthah, other judges ruled ; but they could 
not keep Israel from returning to their idols. 

This time the Lord delivered Israel into the hand of the 
Philistines. 

These Philistines lived in the land of Israel, and had strong 
cities of their own, with great lords to rule over them. 

During forty years Israel groaned under these cruel tyrants, 
when the Lord again graciously gave them a deliverer. This time 
it was not a man — nor was it a woman that the Lord chose — but a 
babe. 

As God had promised, Samson was born, and when he was grown 
he was very strong. One day a young lion met him and roared at 
him. Samson killed him, as he would a kid, and he had no sword, 
no spear — just his hands alone. Once he caught three hundred 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



179 



foxes, and tied firebrands or pieces of blazing wood to their tails, and 

let thein loose, two by two, in the fields and vineyards of the 

Philistines. They set fire to the grain, and burned the olive trees 

and grape vines. 

The Philistines 

came up to take 

him. Samson was 

bound with new 

cords, but God 

gave him strength 

and they snapt like 

fine thread. 

Samson killed 
a thousand men 
with the jawbone 
of an ass ! and 
when he found the 
great city gates of 
Gaza shut against 
him, so that he 
could not get out- 
side, he arose in 
the middle of the 
night, dragged up 
the two posts to 
which they were 
fastened, took the 
gates, the posts, 
and the bar which 
fastened them ; put 
them all on his 

shoulders, and carried them to the top of a hill. A wicked woman 
named Delilah sent word to the Philistines that she had found 
out how to take away Samson's great strength. When he was 
asleep a man shaved the long hair from his head, and then they 




SAMSON KII.LS THE LION. 



i8o 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



bound him with chains of brass ; they put out his eyes, and threw 
him into prison, and made him grind corn with mill-stones. His 
strength was gone, for God had told him never to cut his hair. 

After a while his 
hair grew, and the 
Lord gave him his 
strength again. 
Now the Philis- 
tines made a great 
feast in honor of 
their idol, Dagon, 
and thousands of 
the people were 
gathered. 

They sent for 
poor blind Samson 
to be brought to the 
feast, to "make 
sport " for them. 
A little boy led him 
to the great pillars 
of the house, for 
Samson had said, 
"Take me to the 
pillars that I may 
lean on them," and 
when Samson 
touched them he 
prayed, " O Lord, 
I pray Thee, give 
me strength only 
this once ! " The Lord heard him, and gave him strength, and he 
pulled the pillars together, the great house fell down, and thousands 
of the wicked people were killed. And Samson died with them, and 
by his friends was buried in his father's sepulchre. 




SAMSON SLAYING THE PHILISTINES WITH THE JAWBONE OF 
AN ASS. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



181 



The Beautiful Story of Faithful Ruth. 

I am now going to tell yon what happened to a little 
in Israel. There will be nothing about war and bloodshed, 
great deal about 



family 
but a 



sor- 




the joys and 
rows of home. 

What I shall 
relate happened in 
the time of one of 
the judges, in the 
time of one of the 
first judges— per- 
haps in the time 
of Ehud, or of Ba- 
rak, or of Gideon. 

A little family 
lived in Bethlehem, 
among the green 
hills of the shep- 
herds and the rich 
corn-fields of the 
valley. 

They lived in 
plenty and com- 
fort, until a great 
trouble came upon 
the land of Israel 
— o ne of those 
troubles which God 
sent to punish 
them for their sins 

— a famine. Very little corn grew in the fields, and very little could 
be bought for money. What could be done ? The father determined 
to do what Abraham once did — to go to another land. 

So the father set out with his wife and his two little boys. 



SAMSON THROWN INTO PRISON. 



182 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



He traveled across the land till lie came to the River Jordan. 
He crossed it, and came to the mountains of Moab, that country 
where Balak once tried to get Israel cursed. Though Balak had 

long been dead, the 
land was still full 
of the enemies of 
Israel, and full of 
the idol gods, in 
whom they trusted. 
Such a land, 
though beautiful 
and fruitful, was 
not a good land for 
bringing up the 
little boys. 

A f t e r some 
time the father of 
the family died, 
and the mother was 
left alone with her 
sons. 

She was now 
a widow. Her name 
was Naomi. She 
was a good woman, 
who feared the 
Lord : yet she was 
afraid to return to 
the land of Israel, 
lest there should 
not be corn enough 
for herself and her children. So she stayed in Moab, and her sons 
chose women of Moab for their wives. This was wrong: for the 
Lord had forbidden the men of Israel to marry heathen wives, lest 
their hearts should be turned to idols, through the love of their wives. 




SAMSON AND DELILAH. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



183 



The two sons lived about ten years with their wives, and then 
they both died. 

This was a sad trial for Naomi. She was a widow before, and 
now she had lost 
her children. 

She had no 
one left but her 
sons' wives, they 
were her daugh- 
ters-in-law, and she 
thought they 
would marry again 
and leave her. 

At this time 
Naomi heard some 
one say that the 
Lord had made the 
corn grow abund- 
antly in her own 
land. 

Then Naomi 
made up her mind 
to return to Beth- 
lehem all alone. 
But her daughters- 
in-law were very 
fond of her, and 
they wished to ac- 
company her back. 

Their names 
were Orpah and 
Ruth. These young widows had no children, but they had mothers 
living, with whom they might have stayed : yet they chose to set 
out with Naomi. When they had gone some way, Naomi stopped, 
and said to them both, " Go, return each of you to your mother's 




SAMSON DESTROYS THE TEMPEE OF DAGON. 



1 84 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



house. May the Lord be kind to you ! for you have been very 
kind to my sons who are dead, and to me also. May the Lord give 
you each another husband and another home to rest in ! " This 

kind woman 

thought more of 
her daughters-in- 
law than of her 
own trouble. No 
wonder they loved 
her so much. 

They cried 
again at the 
thought of parting; 
but at last Orpah 
gave Naomi the 
last kiss, and went 
home with a sor- 
rowful heart. 

But Ruth kept 
close to her dear 
mother-in-law, and 
determined never 
to leave her. 

Then Naomi 
tried again to per- 
suade her to go. 
"Behold," she said, 
"thy sister-in-law 
is gone back unto 
her people and to 
her gods ; return 
thou after her." Then Ruth made this affectionate answer: 

" Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after 
thee : for whither thou goest, I will go ; and where thou lodgest, I 
will lodge : thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. 




ORPAH RETURNS HOME. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 185 

Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried. Nothing 
but death shall part thee and me." 

When Naomi saw how very anxious Ruth was to go with 
her, she left off persuading her to return home. 

What a long journey these two poor widows had to make ! more 
than a hundred miles. And they had to cross the River Jordan, 
and go over many steep hills. But they went on, day after day, 
till the}' came to Bethlehem. 

Ruth had never before seen the beautiful land of Israel. It 
was early spring when they traveled ; and the little white lambs 
were sporting on the green hills, the birds were singing in the thick 
woods, and the bees sipping the opening flowers. In Palestine, the 
flowers grow all over the hills and in the valleys, until, in some 
places, the ground is almost white with their blossoms, in others 
pink, and various hues and colors are blended together until the 
whole earth seems covered with a carpet of flowers, so beautiful 
that you cannot imagine how lovely it is. But the glory of the 
land was its God. There were some who sang His praises as they 
reaped the first ripe corn. Ruth had never heard such songs in the 
fields of Moab. 



Ruth Gleans Corn in the Fields. 

When Naomi arrived in Bethlehem, there were many people 
who remembered her. 

As soon as they heard that she was returned they came crowding 
around her. 

They looked to see whether she was much changed. It was 
about twenty years since she had gone away. Then she was happy 
with her husband and sons, but now she had lost them all. Besides, 
she had grown old, and sorrow had made her look older still. 

But Naomi had one great blessing left. It was her faithful 
daughter-in-law — better to her than ever so many sons. 

No one in that city had ever seen Ruth ; but they heard from 
Naomi all about her faithful love in coming- so far. 



1 86 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

There lived at Bethlehem a very rich man, who had many 
corn-fields. His name was Boaz ; and he was a relation of Naomi's 
dead hnsband. But Naomi did not go to his house, because she 
was very poor, and he was very rich, and so she thought it would 
seem bold to pay him a visit. 

What could Naomi do for bread now? She had a faithful 
daughter, willing to glean for her in the fields. The Lord had 
made a law, that when men cut down the corn they should not 
gather it all, but leave some for the poor and the stranger. 

Ruth was a poor stranger, and she said to Naomi, " Let me 
now go to the field and glean ears of corn. Some one may be 
kind to me, and let me have a good deal." 

Naomi answered, " Go, my daughter." 

Early one morning Ruth went out alone to glean. Her mother- 
in-law was too old and feeble to go with her. 

It happened that Ruth went into a field that belonged to Boaz. 

But it was God who let her go there, for He had a plan to do her 
good through going into that field. 

Ruth was a timid, modest creature, and she was afraid of offending, 
by intruding, and taking too much corn ; especially as she was not an 
Israelite, but a stranger from a heathen country. As soon as she 
came into the field she went up to the servants, and asked their leave 
to glean. 

They allowed her to keep among the reapers, and to glean close 
to the sheaves. 

The head servant was very kind, because he had heard how well 
she had behaved to her mother-in-law. When the sun was hot, he 
permitted her to sit with the reapers in a tent, to rest herself a little 
while ; for he had observed how steadily she kept to her gleaning, 
without wasting her time in talking or loitering. 

In the course of the day the master came into his field — even 
Boaz himself. 

He was not a young man, nor was he very old. He had been 
well brought up by a pious mother. What was her name ? It was 
a heathen name — Rahab. What ! was she the woman of Jericho who 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



187 



hid the spies ? Yes — she — even she was the mother of Boaz. After 
she had been saved from the city she had lived with the Israelites, 
among their tents : and she had married a chief man among them. 
His name was Sal- 
mon, and he was 
the son of the 
prince of Judah in 
the wilderness. 

Salmon and 
Rahab were the 
parents of Boaz. 
Often mnst the 
mother have told 
her little son about 
the scarlet line 
that was hung 
out of the window. 

When Boaz 
entered the field 
his first words to 
the reapers were, 
" The Lord be with 
you:" and the 
reapers replied, 
"The Lord bless 
thee." 

These words 
were used instead 
of wishing good 
morning. 

Boaz looked 

round on the people in the corn. And there were poor women and 
children gleaning the ears of corn scattered on the ground. 

Among these gleaners was one that Boaz had never seen before. 
She was a sweet, modest young woman, with a sorrowful countenance; 




RUTH BEFORE BOAZ. 



188 MY MOTHER'S BIBEE STORIES. 

speaking to no one, but busy at her gleaning. Boaz wanted to know 
who she was ; so he asked his head servant, u To whom does that 
damsel belong?" 

The head servant answered, "It is the young woman of Moab, 
who came back with Naomi." Then he told Boaz all about her 
kindness to her mother-in-law, and also about her quiet, humble 
behavior in the field. Boaz was much pleased with the account. 
He had not forgotten his own mother — once a heathen, like poor Ruth. 

Boaz went first to the reapers, and desired them never to behave 
rudely to the poor stranger. And then he went to Ruth, and said, 
" Now, my daughter, hear what I am going to say. Never go to 
glean in any other fields, but stay in my fields with my maidens. I 
have desired every one to behave well to you. When you are thirsty, 
you may drink out of the same jars as the reapers." 

When Ruth heard these kind words, she felt so grateful that she 
stooped down with her face to the ground, and said, " Why do you 
show me such favor, though I am only a stranger? " 

You see how humble she was. She felt she was unworthy of the 
least notice. 

Then Boaz answered, " I have been told of all your kindness to 
your mother-in-law, since the death of your husband ; and how you 
have left your father and mother, and the land where you were born, 
to be with a people that you never knew before." 

Then he blessed Ruth, and prayed God to bless her, because 
she was come to trust under His wings. 

Boaz had before allowed her to drink with his reapers, but now 
he told her to eat with them also. " Come," he said, " at meal- 
time, and eat bread with the reapers, and dip your morsel in the 
vinegar." In many warm countries, like Palestine and ancient Rome, 
the people put a little vinegar in the water they drank, so it would 
not make them sick. 

When the next meal was ready, Ruth went into the tent with 
the maidens, and sat with the reapers. Besides bread and vinegar, 
there was parched corn — that is, green corn dried by the fire. This 
was thought very excellent food. Boaz himself took a large quantity 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 189 

and gave it to Ruth. It was much more than she could eat herself, 
so she put by some, intending to bring it home. 

After she had finished her meal, she went out again to glean. 
Boaz went out also, and gave more orders to his reapers about 
Ruth. " Let her," he said, " come close up to the place where 
you are binding up the sheaves, and do not find fault with her 
for coming there ; and let some handfuls of corn fall on the 
ground, just on purpose for her to glean them, and do not find 
fault with her for taking them." 

It was eas}^ for Ruth to glean a great deal, when so much 
favor was shown her. In the evening she beat out the grain from 
the chaff, and measured the corn, and found it was a very large 
measure, called an ephah. That was enough to make sixteen of 
our large loaves — enough to last Ruth and Naomi for two months 
to come. 

And now the day was over. It had been a day of peace and 
joy. Poor Ruth had been comforted and kindly treated. She 
felt the Lord was blessing her for having left her own land of 
idols, and for coming to live with the people of God, and with her 
own poor mother-in-law. 



The Wedding of Ruth and Boaz. 

In the evening the gleaners left the field, and returned to 
Bethlehem ; but no gleaner had such a rich load to carry home as 
Ruth. 

When she came back to Naomi in her little lodging, she 
showed her what a great quantity she had gleaned. Her mother- 
in-law was quite surprised. 

"But that is not all," said Ruth. Then she took out from 
the folds of her dress a little nice food, part of her own dinner, 
that she had kept for Naomi. 

Her mother-in-law saw that somebody had been very kind to 
her, and she said, " Where hast thou gleaned to-day ? Blessed be 
the man who took so much notice of thee." 



190 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Then Ruth told her all about her gleaning, and about the 
care that was taken of her. " The name, 1 ' she said, " of the man 
in whose field I gleaned was Boaz." 

Naomi was indeed delighted when she heard that name. It was 
a name she knew well, and loved well too ; for Boaz had been very 
kind to her husband and children before they left the land and went 
to Moab. Now, thought Naomi, he is kind to Ruth and me, as he 
used to be kind to my dead husband and sons ; and she cried out, 
" Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off showing kindness 
to the living, as he once showed kindness to those that are dead ! " 

Then said Naomi to Ruth, " This man is one of our near 
relations." 

Ruth then told Naomi more of his kindness. " He bade me go 
on gleaning near his reapers, till all the fields were reaped." 

Naomi was glad to hear this, and she said to Ruth : 

" My daughter, keep with his maidens, and do not let any one 
see you gleaning in any other fields than his." 

There was a law that God had made for Israel, and which Naomi 
thought of now. This was the law : If a man died and left a wife, 
but no children, then his brother was to marry the wife ; or, if he had 
no brother, his uncle or his cousin was to marry her. Naomi knew 
that as Ruth's husband was dead, his nearest relation ought to marry 
her. And who was he ? Was not Boaz the nearest relation ? Naomi 
thought he was. But there was another man who was nearer still. 

Boaz was very anxious indeed to have Ruth for his wife, but he 
had to go first and ask the nearest relation what he would do. He 
did not go to the man's house. He went to the gate of Bethlehem. 
There was a place with seats close to the gate, where the judges often 
came to judge the people. 

Boaz sat down on a seat in the gate, and looked at the people 
who came by. A great many people were always coming and going, 
for the gate was the place where neighbors met to talk, and where 
country people brought their milk and vegetables to sell. 

Boaz watched to see when the nearest relation would pass by. 
At last he saw him. He called him by his name, and said, " Ho, 






MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



191 



turn in here, and sit down." The man did not know why he was 
wanted, but he came in and sat down. 

Boaz went on looking, and he called the chief men who passed, 
till he got as many 
as ten to sit down 
with him there. 
The} 7 were all wise, 
steady men, who 
could be trusted. 
A crowd of people 
came to look on, 
wondering what 
was going to be 
done. 

Boaz spoke 
first to the kinsman 
(or relation). He 
said : 

" Naomi, who 
went to Moab and 
came back, wishes 
to sell the land 
that belonged to 
her dead husband. 
So I sent for you 
that you might 
buy it, as it is your 
right to redeem it 
if you choose ; but 
if you do not 
choose to redeem it, 




BOAZ AND THE KINSMAN OF NAOMI. 



The 



man 



then it is my right, as I am the next nearest relation." 
replied, " I will redeem it." 

Thus he promised to buy the land for himself, and to give the 
money to Naomi. 



i 9 2 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

But Boaz had something more to say : " One of Naomi's sons 
has left a widow, named Ruth. She is a Moabitess. On the day 
you redeem the land you must take her for your wife, according to 
the law." 

When the kinsman heard this he answered, " Then I will not 
redeem the land, but you may redeem it instead." 

When the kinsman refused to redeem the land, he gave a sign of 
refusing by drawing off his sandal (a kind of shoe bound round his 
foot). He took it off and gave it to Boaz, as much as to say, " You 
are to stand in my place, and do all I ought to do. Buy the land 
instead of me." 

Then Boaz turned toward the ten men sitting as judges, and 
toward all the people crowding round, and said, " You are all witnesses 
that I have bought the land that belonged to Naomi's husband and 
sons. I have bought it of Naomi. I have also promised to make 
Ruth, the Moabitess, my wife, and I shall stand in the place of her 
dead husband, that his name may not be forgotten among his brethren. 
You are all witnesses of what I do." 

The ten elders and the people answered, " We are witnesses." 

Then they all joined in blessing Ruth. 

This was a happy day for Boaz. 

Very soon he married Ruth. 

He looked upon Naomi as her own mother: and she counted 
Boaz as her own son. 

After a while the Lord sent another blessing to this happy 
family. 

Ruth had a little son. 

Naomi reckoned him her own grandchild ; as if he had been the 
child of her dead son. 

The women who came to see the baby were pleased to find 
Naomi so happy ; and they said to her, " Blessed be the Lord, 
which hath not left thee without a kinsman to make thy name 
remembered in Israel. And this child shall be a comfort to thy 
gray hairs : for he is the child of thy daughter-in-law, who loveth thee, 
and who is better to thee than seven sons." 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 193 

And so, indeed, Ruth was better than seven, or seventy sons — 
she was the kindest of daughters. 

And had not the Lord rewarded her ? 

She had become poor for Naomi's sake, and God had made her 
rich. She had left her home, and God had provided a better home, 
with the best of husbands. She had given up her father's idols, and 
God had become her God. 

Naomi took the baby, and carried it in her arms, and hushed it, 
and fondled it, and loved it. 

And what was his name ? 

It was not Boaz who gave it a name, because he counted the 
child to belong to Naomi's dead son. 

So Naomi's friends gave it a name, and called it " Obed ; " which 
means " serving." 

Ruth's wish was granted. She had wished to live and die 
with Naomi — and she did so. But she had more than she wished 
for, and what she had never thought of — in her family the Son 
of God at last was born. I will tell you how it was. 

The little Obed grew to be a man, and had a son named Jesse. 

This Jesse had eight sons ; and of these David was the youngest. 

So Obed was the grandfather of David. 



The Story of Gideon. 

And now I will tell you some wonderful things about Gideon, 
the son of Joash. The people had become very wicked and 
worshiped idols instead of the true God. So the Lord delivered 
them as a punishment into the hands of the Midianites for a period 
of seven years. These were a wicked, idolatrous people who lived 
near the children of Israel, and who were constantly fighting against 
them. They destroyed their grass and their corn, so that there was 
no food for their children or their cattle, and the Israelites fled to 
the mountains and hid themselves in caves and holes in the 
ground. 
13 



i 9 4 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



Here they began to be sorry for their wickedness, and they 
prayed to God to deliver them from the Midianites. Then an angel 
came and sat under an oak near the wine-press that belonged to 

Joash, where his 
son Gideon was 
threshing wheat, 
for he had to work 
in a secret place 
for fear of the 
Midianites. 

The angel 
spoke to him 
and said, "The 
Lord is with thee, 
thou mighty man 
of valor." But 
Gideon remem- 
bered the suffer- 
ings of his people 
and he said to the 
angel, "If the 
Lord be with us, 
why then is all 
this befallen us ?" 
But the angel told 
him that he should 
go in his might, 
that the Lord 
would be with him, 
and that he should 
conquer the Mid- 
ianites and deliver 
the people out of their bondage. Then Gideon begged the angel not 
to depart until he should return, and he went and prepared some 
cakes and some meat and broth and brought them to the angel;. 




the; angee departing out of Gideon's sight. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



J 95 



whereupon he told Gideon to lay the flesh and the cakes upon a rock 

and to pour out the broth ; and when he had done so the angel put 

forth the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the flesh 

and the cakes, and 

immediately a fire 

came out of the 

rock and consumed 

them. Then the 

angel departed out 

of Gideon's sight, 

and he was greatly 

frightened because 

he knew he had 

seen one of God's 

angels. 

Not long after 




these strange 
things had oc- 
curred, the Midian- 
ites and the Ainal- 
ekites gathered a 
great army t o- 
gether and came 
and encamped near 
the Israelites, in- 
tending to utterly 
destroy them. 
But Gideon blew 
his trumpet and 
sent messengers 
out to warn the 
people, and he soon collected an army of thirty-two thousand men. 
While this was being done Gideon prayed to God and asked for a 
sign, so that he might be sure God was on his side and would help 
him to fight the Midianites. He said, " I will put a fleece of wool on 



GIDEON WRINGING THE WATER FROM THE FEEECE. 



196 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

the floor, and if it is wet with dew in the morning, while the earth 
and the grass remain dry, then I will know that the Lord is on 
onr side." So in the morning when he arose and took up his fleece 
he found it so wet with dew that he wrung a bowlful of water out 
of it. Still Gideon was not satisfied, and he prayed to the Lord 
not to be angry with him, but to give him another sign. This time 
he prayed that the fleece might remain dry while the ground should 
be covered with dew; and it came to pass just as he desired. Then 
Gideon knew that the Lord was on his side and would fight for the 
Israelites. 

The Lord now told Gideon that the army was too large and he 
must send some of the people away, for if He delivered the Midianites 
into their hands they would claim all the glory for themselves and 
remain as wicked as they were before. So Gideon made a proclama- 
tion, and told the people that all who were afraid could return to 
their tents, and twenty-two thousand did so. They were a very 
cowardly people to run away from the enemy in such a manner. 

But the Lord said they were still too many, and He told Gideon 
to take those who remained down to the water and let them drink, 
and that he should watch the men while they drank and select from 
among them only those who lapped the water with their tongues, 
like a dog. Accordingly Gideon did as he was directed, and when 
the men drank there were only three hundred who lapped the water 
with their tongues. These were marched away by themselves, and 
all the rest were sent back to their tents. 

Gideon had now so small an army that he was afraid to attack 
the Midianites, but the Lord told him to go after dark with his 
servant down to the edge of the camp and he would hear something 
that would renew his courage. So when night came he took his 
servant and they went cautiously down near to the camp of the 
Midianites, and as they walked along they heard two men talking. 
One of the men was telling the other about a strange dream that he 
had dreamed. Said he, " I dreamed that a cake of barley tumbled 
into the camp of the Midianites and rolled along until it struck a 
tent, which it overthrew and stretched along the ground." The 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 197 

other man seemed greatly alarmed on hearing the dream, and said 
it meant that the Lord had delivered them into the hands of Gideon, 
who would come and destroy them with the sword. 

Then Gideon knew that it would be as the man said ; and he 
returned to his own camp and told his men that the Lord would 
deliver the Midianites into their hands. So he divided his three 
hundred men into three equal parties, and gave each man a trumpet 
and an empty pitcher, with a lamp in the pitcher. He directed them 
also to march to three different places near the camp of the Midian- 
ites, so that they would be on all sides of the enemy, and that when 
he gave the signal they should blow their trumpets, break the 
pitchers and shout, u The sword of the Lord and of Gideon." 

Everything was done as he directed, and at the beginning of 
the middle watch of the night, all of the three hundred men having 
reached the positions assigned to them, Gideon gave the signal, and 
instantly all the pitchers were broken and there was a great flash 
of light from the three hundred lamps, while the trumpets sounded 
and a shout went up that struck terror into the hearts of the 
Midianites. They fled in all directions and were so frightened that 
each man's sword was set against his fellow, so that many thousands 
of them were slain by their own swords. 

It was a great victory for Gideon and his men, and the 
Midianites were so frightened that they did not trouble the children 
of Israel again for forty years, or during the lifetime of Gideon. 



The Story of Job. 

And now I will tell you the story of Job, who was one of the 
best men that ever lived upon this earth. We do not know 
exactly when he lived, but we are almost sure that he lived before 
Moses — perhaps before Abraham. 

We know where he lived, for it was in the land of Uz, a 
country near the great River Euphrates, and a great way from 
Canaan. 



198 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



Job was the richest man in his country. Like Abraham ; he 
had large flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. He had seven 
thousand sheep, three thousand camels, one thousand oxen, and five 

hundred asses. The 
oxen were used for 
ploughing, and two 
went in a yoke ; so 
that he had five 
hundred yoke. 

Job had a large 
family — seven sons 
and three daugh- 
ters. 

The sons had 
houses of their own, 
and they used to 
give feasts to each 
other; and they 
always invited their 
three sisters to 
come. 

But at last 
trouble came upon 
Job — more troubles 
than ever came 
upon any other 
man. It was be- 
cause of the hatred 
of Satan, who did 
not like to hear Job 
praised for his good- 
ness. God permitted these troubles, just to show Satan that Job 
would go on loving Him, even when he had lost everything. One 
calamity followed another, and one messenger after another came 
bringing bad news. One said that " robbers rushed upon the 




ROBBERS ATTACKING THE SERVANTS OF JOB. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



199 



ploughmen in the field, killing them and stealing the oxen and asses; 
and I only am left." Another told him that " fire had fallen from 
heaven and burned the sheep and the shepherds; and I only am 
left." A third 
said that "the 
camels are taken 
and the servants 
are killed ; and I 
only am left." 
The fourth 

brought the sad- 
dest news of all, 
" thy sons and thy 
daughters were all 
feasting in their 
eldest brother's 
house, when a 
great wind came 
and blew down the 
house, and it fell 
upon the young 
people, and I only 
am escaped." 

Who ever 
heard such dread- 
ful news as this ? 
Ten children all 
killed at once ! 
What could Job 
do ? Did he curse 
God, as Satan said 
he would ? Oh, no ; instead of cursing, he blessed His holy name. 

He showed his grief by tearing his cloak, shaving his head, and 
sitting upon the ground ; and then he said, " I brought nothing into 
the world when I was born, and I shall carry nothing out of it when 




JOB'S ANGUISH WHEN TOI,D OF THE DEATH OF HIS CHILDREN. 



200 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

I die. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away ; blessed be 
the name of the Lord." 

But Satan tried Job in another way. He afflicted him with the 
most dreadful disease that could be sent, without killing him. He 
made very bad boils to break out all over his body. There was not 
a single spot without a boil upon it — even on his head there were 
boils — and on the soles of his feet. 

While he was sitting suffering thus his wife came to him. Of 
course she was very unhappy, -as well as himself, at having lost all 
her children. Yet she might now try to comfort Job. But she only 
made him more miserable. She gave him most wicked advice. She 
came to him in a mocking way and said, " Are you still faithful? 
Curse God and die." 

Job gave her a most beautiful answer. He said, " Shall I 
receive good at the hand of the Lord, and shall I not receive evil ? " 

While Job was thus afflicted three of his friends came, for they 
felt they ought to go and see him in his trouble. 

Did his friends begin to comfort him when they heard his sad 
words ? 

No ; instead of comforting him, they began to find fault with 
him, and to accuse him. 

The three friends were called El-i-phaz, Bildad and Zo-phar. 

First, Eliphaz spoke, and Job answered him ; then Bildad spoke, 
and Job answered him ; then Zophar spoke, and Job answered 
him. 

All the three friends said, that if Job had really been a good 
man such troubles would not have been sent. 

Among the people who were listening to Job and his friends was 
a young man named Elihu. Elihu praised God very much : saying, 
" God is great ; He makes small the drops of rain ; He spreads the 
clouds in the sky ; He fills it with light ; He commands the 
thunder." 

While Elihu was saying all this, a dreadful thunder-storm was 
heard ; and in the midst of the tempest a voice was heard. 

It was the voice of the Lord Himself. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



20I 



The noise of the thunder had made the hearts of the hearers beat 
fast in their bosoms ; but what did they all feel when God Himself 
uttered His voice ! He spoke to Job. He asked him some 
questions very 
hard to answer. 

The first ques- 
tion was, " Where 
wast thou when I 
made the earth, and 
when the morning 
stars sang to- 
gether, and the 
sons of God shouted 
for joy ? " 

How could Job 
answer this ques- 
tion ? for he was 
not born when God 
created the world. 

Then God 
asked Job, " Who 
shut up the sea, 
so that it cannot 
get out of its place ? 

" Where does 
the light dwell, and 
where is the dark- 
ness kept? 

" Didst thou 
give wings to the 
ostrich ? 

"Didst thou make the horse strong? 

" Will the eagle mount up in the air at thy command? " 

All these questions, and many more, God asked, but none of 
them could Job answer. 




FIRE FALLS FROM HEAVEN AND CONSUMES THE SHEPHERDS. 



202 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Job now felt he had done wrong in boasting so much of his 
goodness, and he said, " Behold, I am vile ! What shall I answer 
Thee ? I will lay my hand upon my mouth. I have spoken ; but I 
will speak no more." 

This was a good and humble speech, and the Lord went on 
talking to Job. 

When God had done speaking, Job spoke again, but not in his 
own praise. He felt himself to be a worm, and unworthy to utter a 
word. He cried out : 

" I know that Thou canst do everything, I abhor myself, and 
repent in dust and ashes." 

God liked these humble w r ords : j ust as He liked the prayer of 
the publican, " God be merciful to me a sinner." 

So God received Job into favor again, and gave him "twice as 
much as he had before." 



The Story of Samuel and His Mother. 

You have heard, my dear children, how the Israelites came into 
the land of Canaan. I shall now tell you some things which hap- 
pened to them in Canaan. 

Do you remember that the tabernacle was placed at Shiloh ? 
The high priest lived in Shiloh, that he might offer sacrifices in the 
tabernacle. 

I am now going to tell you of a high priest called Eli. 

Eli was a very good old man. 

A great many people used to come up every year to Shiloh to 
worship God at the tabernacle. 

Among the people who came there was a good woman whose 
name was Hannah. She had a little son called Samuel. 

When Samuel was about three or four years old, she took him 
up to Shiloh with her. Hannah did not mean to keep him always 
at home with her, though she loved him very much : for she wished 
the good old high priest EH to bring him up, and to teach him. So 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 203 

she brought the child to Eli, and said to him, " I wish the child to 
be brought up to serve God." 

Eli took the little boy to live with him. Hannah sang a beauti- 
ful song of praise to God for His goodness, and then she left her dear 
little Samuel, and went home again. 

Do you think she ever came to see her child ? Yes, every year ; 
and she always brought him a present of a dress such as the people 
wore in those days. It was a linen dress down to his feet, and it had 
long sleeves. Samuel used to wear a linen ephod also, such as the 
priests wore, though he was not a priest himself. God had put His 
Spirit into Samuel's heart, so that he liked serving the Lord in the 
tabernacle, and seeing the sacrifices offered, and hearing the Lord 
praised by the priests and the people. As he grew older he pleased 
God more and more, and a great many people loved him. How glad 
Hannah must have been when she came to see him, to hear that he 
was a good child ! It makes your .parents, dear children, very happy 
to hear that you are good. I hope you will be like little Samuel, 
and be God's children while you are very young. 



EH and His Wicked Sons. 

You have heard how Samuel lived with old Eli at Shiloh. 

He did not live in the tabernacle, but in some tents very near it. 

You would like to know whether Eli had any children of his 
own. He had two sons, who were grown-up men, and they were 
priests, and offered sacrifices at the altar. 

I suppose you think that Eli's sons were good, because Eli was 
good ; but I am sorry to tell you that they were very wicked men. 
They did not love God, they only cared for eating, and amusing 
themselves ; and they did . not wish to please God. Eli was good 
bimself, but he did not punish his wicked sons ; and that was very 
wrong of Eli. 

The two sons went on in their wickedness. And now you shall 
liear something else that God said. 



204 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

One evening old Eli was lying in bed ; and little Samnel was 
lying in another bed a little way off. Samnel heard a voice calling 
him, " Samnel." Samnel thought that Eli called him, and he 
answered, " Here am I ; " and then he got out of bed and ran to Eli, 
to know what he wanted. You see what a kind little child Samuel 
was, and how ready he was to wait upon Eli. 

But Eli said to Samuel, " I did not call you ; " then Samuel went 
and lay down again. 

Soon afterward Samuel heard some one call again, " Samuel." 
So he went again to Eli, and said, " Here am I, for you did call me." 
But Eli said, " I did not call, my son ; lie down again." 

Then Samuel lay down, and he soon heard the voice again 
saying, " Samuel." Then he felt sure that it was Eli who called 
him, and he went to him and said, " Here am I, for you did call me." 

Now Eli knew who it was who had called Samuel. So Eli told 
Samuel to lie down again, and when he heard the voice, to answer, 
" Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth." Samuel was to call him- 
self God's servant. 

So Samuel went and lay down again, and soon the Lord came 
and stood by him, and called as before, " Samuel, Samuel." Then 
Samuel answered, " Speak, for Thy servant heareth." God had 
never spoken to Samuel before. Samuel must have longed to know 
what the Lord had to say to him. It was something very sad 
and dreadful ; it was about Eli. 

God told Samuel that He should soon punish Eli's sons for 
their wickedness, and that he was displeased with Eli for not 
having punished them. 

After God had done speaking, Samuel remained in his bed, 
and Eli did not call him. Samuel did not like to tell Eli that 
God was displeased with him. 

So when the morning came, Samuel did not go to Eli, but began 
to open the doors round about the tabernacle ; for it was Samuel's 
business to open the doors. Soon Eli called Samuel : for he wanted 
to know what God had said to him. Eli begged Samuel to tell 
everything to him, and to hide nothing from him. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 205 

Then little Samuel told EH ail that God had said. 

How grieved Eli must have been when he heard that the 
Lord would punish his sons, and that the Lord was displeased 
with him; but he answered very meekly, and said, " Let the Lord 
do what He pleases." Eli really loved God, though he had done 
one wrong thing. 

After this, God often spoke to Samuel, and told him how He 
would punish wicked people ; and Samuel used to tell people what 
God had said, and all that Samuel told them came true. Samuel 
was a prophet : a prophet is a person to whom the Lord tells what 
He means to make happen. 



The Israelites Ask Samuel to Give Them a King. 

When Samuel had grown up to be a man, he was called a 
judge; but he was not a king. He used to tell the people what 
God wished them to do ; and he used to punish bad people. 
Moses had once been the judge of Israel, and Joshua had been the 
judge, and Eli had been the judge. Now Samuel was called the 
judge. % He did not sit on a throne, or wear a crown, as kings do; 
and he always asked God to tell him what the people ought to do, 
and then he told the people what God had said. The Israelites 
ought to have been very glad that God was their King. No other 
king was so good and so great as He was. 

You will be sorry to hear that at last they grew tired of having 
God for their king. They said, " We should like to have a king that 
would go out to battle before us." They wanted to have a king 
that they could see. So they came to Samuel, and said, " Give us a 
king." 

Samuel was very sorry to hear this, and he went and prayed to 
the Lord. Do you think that God would let the Israelites 
have a king ? Yes, He would : He was displeased with them for 
wishing for a king, but as they wanted one, God said they should 
have one. 



206 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

So Samuel called the Israelites together to speak to them, a-id 
then he said, " God will let you have a king, but this is the way in 
which the king will treat you : 

" He will make your sons work for him ; some of them will run 
before his chariots ; and some will make swords and spears for him, 
and some will plough his ground, and reap his corn ; and some of 
your daughters will bake, and cook, and make nice things for him to 
eat ; and he will take away many of your fields, and gardens, and 
corn, and sheep from you, and give them to whom he pleases, and 
then you will be sorry that you wished for a king, and you will cry 
to God, and He will not hear you." 

Did the Israelites still wish for a king ? Yes, they would not 
mind what Samuel said ; but they cried out, " We will have a king." 

Then all the people went home. 

God was to choose the king ; and God would tell Samuel who 
was to be king. 

I shall tell you about the man whom God chose to be the king 
of Israel. 



Saul is Chosen King. # 

There was a young man whose father had some fields, and sheep, 
and cows, and asses. One day three asses were lost ; so the young 
man went to look for them among the hills and fields. The young 
man's name was Saul. He took a servant with him, and he looked 
for the asses a long while, but he could not find them. At last he 
came near the city where Samuel lived. 

The servant said to Saul, " I have heard that there is a man in 
that city who is a prophet ; all he says comes true. Let us ask him 
where the asses are." Then Saul said to his servant, " Come, let us 
go." So Saul and the servant went into the city, and as they went 
along they met Samuel. Saul and the servant had never seen 
Samuel before ; so they did not know who he was. Samuel was an 
old man by this time, and his hair was long, and he used to wear a 
cloak. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



207 



Saul spoke to this old man, and said, " Can you tell me where 
the prophet's house is ? " 

Samuel answered, " I am the prophet." 

Did Samuel know who Saul was ? Yes, he did ; for though 
Samuel had never 
seen him before, 
God had told him 
that he would 
meet a man just 
at that time, who 
was to be the king 
of Israel. Samuel 
knew who Saul 
was, and he knew 
that Saul wanted 
to ask him where 
the asses were. 

Before Saul 
had told him that 
he had lost some 
asses, Samuel 
said, "The asses 
that you lost 
three days ago 
are found." And 
Samuel told Saul 
that he had a 
great deal to say 
to him, and that 
he must come 
home with him 
that evening, and 

that he would let him go away the next morning. So Saul and the 
servant went to Samuel's house, and Samuel took Saul to the top of his 
house, and talked to him alone ; but I do not know what he said to him. 




SAMUEL ANOINTS SAUL. 



2o8 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



The next morning they all got up very early, as soon as it 
was light, and Samuel walked with Saul and the servant through the 
city. When they were come to the outside of the city, Samuel said 

to Saul, " Bid the 
servant to pass on 
before." So the 
servant passed 
on before ; and 
Samuel and Saul 
stood still together 
quite alone. 

Then Samuel 
took a bottle of 
oil, that he had 
brought with him, 
and poured it on 
Saul's head, and 
said to him, " God 
has chosen thee 
to be king over 
Israel." 

Why did 
Samuel pour the 
oil upon Saul's 
head? It was as 
a sign that he was 
to be the king. 
Pouring oil upon 
a person is called 
u anointing." 

After Samuel 

had anointed Saul, they parted from each other. Saul went on his 
way, and returned to his friends ; but he did not tell any one that he 
was to be king of Israel. Soon afterward Samuel called all the 
Israelites together, to tell them who was to be the king. 




GOD SAVE THE KING 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 209 

He first told them that it was very wicked not to like to have 
God for their king, and then he showed them the man who was to be 
their king. When the people saw Sanl they were very much pleased, 
for he was taller than an}^ of the Israelites ; no one else reached 
higher than his shoulder. The Israelites wished to have a king 
that would look very grand when he went out to battle. 

The Israelites shouted when they saw him, and cried out, u God 
save the king ! " 

When the people had seen the king they went home to their 
houses. 

You will soon hear what sort of a king Saul was, whether he 
loved God, or whether he did not. 

Did the Israelites deserve to have a good king ? No. How 
ungratefully they had behaved to God who had been so kind to them ! 
How ungrateful they were to Samuel who had been their judge ! But 
Samuel was not angry with them, he was only sorry that they were 
wicked. 



King Saul Conquers the Amalekites. 

I have told 3^011 how God made Saul the king of Israel. He sat 
upon a throne, and wore a crown, and went to battle in a chariot. 
He was a brave man, and could fight well against wicked soldiers 
who tried to hurt the Israelites. 

Samuel used often to come and see him, and advise him to serve 
God. Samuel wished Saul to be good and he often prayed for him. 

At last God chose to see whether Saul would do all He desired 
him to do. You remember how God once tried Abraham ; and how 
Abraham did what God desired him, because he loved God. 

There were some wicked people, who lived near the land of 
Canaan, called the Am-al-ek-ites. God was very angry with them, 
and He chose that they should all be killed. 

One day Samuel came to Saul and said to him, u God desires 
you to go and fight against the Amalekites and kill them all, — men, 
women, and children, and oxen, and sheep, and camels, and asses. " 
14 



2IO 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



Saul got a great army of Israelites, and went to the Amalekites, 
and he conquered them. Then Saul desired his soldiers to kill 
them with their swords, as God had told him. But he thought he 

should like to take 
the king of the 
Amalekites back 
to Canaan with 
him, so he would 
not let him be 
killed. 

I think Saul 
wanted to bring the 
king home with 
him, because he 
thought it was a 
grand and fine 
thing to have a king 
shut up near him in 
Canaan. 

Neither did 
Saul kill the fat 
and strong oxen and 
sheep; he only 
killed those that 
were thin and 
weak. 

He wished to 
be rich, and to have 
a great deal of 
cattle. 

SAUE DEFEATS THE AMALEKITES. 1 hat Ulgilt (jOU 

spoke to Samuel 
and told him that He was very angry with Saul. Samuel 
was grieved to hear this, and he prayed to God the rest of the 
night. 




MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



211 



God's Punishment of King Saul. 

The next morning Samuel went to look for Saul, for God had 
told him many things that he must say to him. Saul did not know 
that Samuel knew 






of his wickedness ; 
so he tried to make 
Samuel think that 
he had done all 
that God had told 
him. 

When Saul 
saw Samuel he 
pretended to be 
glad to see him, 
and said, " I have 
done the com- 
mandment of 
the Lord." Then 
Samuel said, 
" What then is 
this bleating of 
sheep and lowing 
of oxen that I 
hear ? " 

Now Saul 
saw that Samuel 
knew what he had 
done. He saw it 
would be of no 
use to say that he 
had not saved the 
sheep and oxen, so he began to make excuses for himself. 

Saul said, " It was the people who would not kill the 
sheep and oxen." 




RETURN OF SALT, S ARMY WITH THE SHEEP AND OXEN. 



fat 



212 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



Was it the people who had saved the sheep and oxen? Had 
not Saul saved them too ? and why did Saul let the people do 
wickedly ? Was he not the king ? Should he not have made 

them do what was 
right ? 

Would God 
like those sheep 
and oxen to be 
offered in sacrifice 
to Him ? No ; God 
would rather that 
Saul should obey 
Him than that he 
should offer sacri- 
fices. 

Then Samuel 
told Saul that God 
was very angry 
with him, and did 
not mean to let 
him be king much 
longer. 

Saul was very 
much frightened 
when he heard that 
God would punish 
him, and he said to 
Samuel, " Stay and 
pray to God with 
me." But Saul was 
not really sorry : 
he was only afraid of being punished. Samuel knew that he was 
not sorry for having offended God, who had been so good to him, so 
Samuel would not stay with Saul. Then Saul took hold of Samuel's 
cloak, to hinder him from going away, and he tore the cloak. 




SAMUEL DEPARTS FROM SAUL. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 213 

Samuel stopped and said to Saul, " God has torn the land of 
Canaan from you, and He has given it to a man that is better 
than you are. God has done it alread}-, and He will not change 
His mind/' 

Saul begged Samuel very much to stay 7 with him, and to pray 
to God with him, that the people might not know that God was 
angry with him. You see that Saul cared more about what people 
thought of him, than about God being pleased with him. 

At last Samuel said that he would worship God with him. 

Then Samuel left Saul, and he never came to see him any more ; 
but he still was very sorry^ to think that he was so wicked. 

I hope, my T dear children, that when you offend God, y r ou will 
feel sorry. If you love God, you will not like to grieve Him. 
Saul did not love God : he was only afraid of being punished. 



The Story of David. 

Samuel did not know whom God meant to be king instead of 
Saul. At last God said to him, " Fill a horn with oil, and go to 
Jesse, who lives in Bethlehem, for I have chosen one of his sons 
as the king." 

Jesse was an old man, and he had a great many sons who 
were grown up to be men. Samuel found Jesse and his sons in 
Bethlehem. Then Samuel looked at the eldest of Jesse's sons, to 
see whether he was the man that God had chosen to be king. 

Now this son was a very tall, fine-looking man, who seemed 
fit to be king, and Samuel thought to himself, " Surely this is 
the one that God will choose me to anoint." 

But God told Samuel that He had not chosen him. God does 
not care how a person looks, but He cares for the heart. Now the 
heart of Jesse's eldest son did not please God, and this time God 
was going to choose a king who loved Him in his heart. 

Then Samuel looked at Jesse's second son ; but when he saw 
him he said that God had not chosen him. Then Samuel looked 



2i4 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

at the third sou ; but God had not chosen him. Then he looked 
at the fourth ; neither had God chosen him. Then Samuel looked 
at the fifth, next at the sixth, and last of all at the seventh ; and 
yet God had not chosen any of them. 

So Samuel said to Jesse, " Have you any more children ? " 

And Jesse answered, "I have one more child, the youngest, 
and he is keeping the sheep." Then Samuel said, " Send and fetch 
him : I want to see him immediately." 

So Jesse sent a person to desire this youngest son to come to him. 

The name of this son was David. He was not a grown-up 
man, but only a boy. He had a beautiful color on his cheeks, and 
his eyes had a pleasant look. 

When he came in, God said to Samuel, " Arise and anoint 
him ; for this is he." So Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed 
him while his seven brothers stood by. 

Then Samuel went back to his own house. 

You will hear -a great deal about David. God did not mean 
him to be king for a long while ; but David knew that he certainly 
should be king one day. He went on keeping his father's sheep. 
As he watched them, he played on his harp, and sang sweet songs 
of praise to God. His songs are called " Psalms." 

Do you think that David wished to be king ? I do not think 
that he wanted to sit on a throne, and to wear a crown, but I 
know that he would like to call people together to praise God. When 
David was king, he could have people taught about God ; and he could 
be kind to poor people ; and he could punish wicked people. 

When Samuel poured the oil on David's head, God made His 
Spirit come on him, to make him very wise and brave, and fit to 
be a king ; for it is God who makes people wise and brave. 



David Plays the Harp Before King Saul. 

Samuel did not tell Saul what he had done. Saul would have 
been very angry if he had known that David had been anointed; 
but he did not know it. 




1215 



216 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Yet Saul was very unhappy. 

Saul's servants saw that he had a wicked spirit in him, and 
they said to hiin, " Shall we look for a man who can play very 
sweetly on the harp ? Perhaps, if you were to listen to sweet music, 
you might get well." 

Then Saul answered his servants, " Look for such a man, and 
bring him to me." 

Whom could the servants send for ? One of the servants had 
heard of David, and he said to Saul, " I have seen one of the sons 
of Jesse, who lives at Bethlehem, and he can play beautifully on 
the harp ; and, besides, he is a very brave young man, who can fight 
well ; and he can speak very wisely, and he is very handsome ; and 
God loves him : shall I send for him ? " 

Saul said that he would have this young man sent for. Some 
of Saul's servants went to Jesse, and said, " King Saul wishes to see 
your son David, who takes care of the sheep." 

Jesse said that David might go ; and he desired David to take 
a present to King Saul ; some bread, a kid (which is a young goat) , 
and a bottle of wine. David put all these things upon an ass, and 
brought them to Saul. When he saw David, he loved him very 
much. Perhaps Saul loved him because he had a sweet look, and 
could play well on the harp ; but God loved him because he wished 
to please Him. 

Saul liked David so much that he desired him to stay with him 
a long while, and to be always near him. So Saul sent a message 
to Jesse to say that he wished to keep him. 

David very often played to Saul upon the harp, and when he 
played, Saul grew better, and at last grew quite well. 

At last David went away from Saul, and fed his father's sheep 
as he used to do. 

I think David liked taking care of the sheep better than living 
with Saul : for Saul was wicked, and many of his servants were 
wicked. 

David was very happy when he was alone, thinking about God. 
Did you ever hear any of David's psalms ? In one of these psalms 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 217 

lie calls God his Shepherd. David took great care of his sheep, and 
led them to places where green fresh grass grew, and to smooth and 
clear water ; and he made them lie down on the softest grass, in cool 
places by the river's side. While David was taking so much care of 
his sheep, he thought that God took still more care of him ; and he 
said, " The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me 
to lie down in green pastures, and beside the still waters." 



Story of the Giant Goliath. 

You remember who the Philistines were. They were wicked 
people who lived in some of the cities of Canaan. They often fought 
against the Israelites. 

One day a great number of Philistines came and placed their 
tents on the top of a hill in Canaan. When Saul heard it he came 
with a great number of Israelites, and they placed their tents on 
another hill. The Philistines and the Israelites could see each other 
in their tents ; and they intended to fight against each other ; but 
they did not choose to fight immediately. 

There was one man among the Philistines whose name was 
Goliath. He was called a giant, because he was very tall indeed. 
He was ten feet high. 

He was very strong and big, and he could fight well. He wore 
armor. Armor is made of iron and brass, and worn outside of the 
clothes. People used to wear armor that arrows, and swords, and 
spears, might not hurt them easily. 

He wore a cap of brass upon his head, and he wore a coat of 
iron ; his legs were covered with brass. He held a great spear in his 
hand, and he had a great sword in a sheath by his side ; and a man 
went before him with a shield, which is a great piece of iron, or 
brass, like a large tray, that men used to hold before their faces in 
battle to prevent the arrows from hurting them. 

The giant Goliath thought that no one could kill him. Every 
day he used to call out with a loud voice, " Will one of the Israelites 



2i8 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

come and fight with me ? If he be able to kill me, then all the 
Philistines will mind the king of Israel ; but if I kill him, then the 
Israelites must mind the Philistines. Is there any man that will 
fight with me ? " 

When Saul heard the Philistine giant, he was frightened, and 
so were all the Israelites. They all thought they should be killed, 
if one of them fought with the giant. 

While this was taking place David was feeding his father's 
sheep, but his three elder brothers were in the tents. 

One day old Jesse said to David, " Go to the tents of Israel 
and see how your brethren are ; and take with you some corn, and 
ten loaves, as a present for your brothers." 

So David, rose up very early, and left his sheep with another 
shepherd, and took the corn and bread with him, and went a long 
way till he came to the hill where the tents of the Israelites were. 
Then he ran to look for his brothers. As he was talking with them, 
he heard a man speaking in a very loud voice, saying, u Who is able 
to fight with me ? " It was the giant Goliath. David had never 
heard the giant speak these words before, but the people who were 
near David told him about the giant, and they said, " King Saul has 
promised to give any man who kills the giant a great many things as 
a reward." 

David was surprised that people should be afraid of fighting 
with the giant, because he knew that God could help an Israelite to 
conquer him, but he knew that the gods of the Philistines could not 
help them, because they were only idols ; so David said, " Who is 
this Philistine, that he should speak in this manner to the people of 
God ? " And David felt in his heart that he should not be afraid 
to fight with the giant. 

One of David's brothers heard what David said, and he began to 
mock him, saying, " Why did you come here ? Why did you not 
stay with your sheep?" But David answered his brother very 
meekly. 

Very soon some one went and told Saul that there was a young 
man come to the tents, and that he said he would fight with the 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 219 

giant. So Saul desired the young man to be brought before him ; 
and David came to Saul. Saul had seen David before ; but he had 
forgotten him. He was surprised that David, who was so young, 
should wish to fight with the giant; and he said to him, "You 
are not able to fight against the Philistine. You are very young, 
and he has been used to fighting." Then David answered, "Once 
when I was keeping my father's sheep, a lion came, and took a lamb 
out of the flock, and I went after the lion, and met him, and took the 
lamb out of his mouth, and when the lion tried to kill me, I caught 
him by his hair, and killed him. And once a bear came, and I 
killed him too. I shall kill this Philistine as I killed the lion and 
the bear. It was God who delivered me from the paw of the lion 
and of the bear, and He will deliver me from the Philistine." 

You see, my dear child, that David was not proud of his 
strength. He knew that it was God who had helped him to kill 
those beasts, and he felt sure that God would help him to kill 
the giant. 



David's Battle with Goliath. 

When Saul heard David speak these words, he told him to go 
and fight the giant. But David had no sword nor coat of iron, so 
Saul lent him his own armor, and his own sword ; he put a cap 
of brass on David's head, and dressed him in a coat of iron. But 
David had not been used to wear armor; so he said to Saul, " I can- 
not wear this armor," and he took it off again ; neither would he take 
a sword, nor a spear. He went to the brook and chose five smooth 
stones, and put them in a bag which he had, and took the bag with 
him, and a sling. You will hear what he did with the bag, and the 
stones, and the cloth. In the other hand he held a stick. Then 
David went to meet the giant. 

The giant heard that one of the Israelites was ready to fight 
with him, and he came near to David ; a man with a shield went 
before him. 

When the giant looked and saw David, he was surprised ; he had 



220 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



expected to see a great man like himself, dressed in armor, and hold- 
ing a spear in his hand. 

But David was very young, and his face was rosy like a child's, 

and he only wore a 
shepherd's dress, 
and held a stick in 
his hand. 

The Philis- 
tine giant was 
angry when he saw 
him, and cursed 
him, and used very 
wicked words. 
Then he began to 
laugh at David, 
and said, "Come 
to me, and I will 
give your flesh to 
the birds and to 
the beasts to eat." 
But David 
was not afraid, and 
he said to the 
giant, " You have 
a sword, and a 
spear, and a shield ; 
but God will fight 
for me; and He 
will help me to 
kill you, and take 
your head from 
you : and the beasts and the birds shall eat up the flesh of all the 
Philistines, and everybody shall see that the God of Israel is the 
true God, and that He can save whom He pleases." 

Then the Philistine giant came still nearer to David, and David 




DAVID SDAYS GOLIATH. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 221 

ran toward him quickly, and put his hand in his bag, and drew 
out a stone, and put it in the sling that he had : then holding one 
end of the cloth, he threw the stone out of it with all his strength, 
and the stone hit the giant in the forehead, and sank into it, and 
the giant fell upon the ground on his face. 

Then David ran to the giant, and taking his sword out of its 
sheath, he cut off his head. When the Philistines saw what a 
great wonder God had done, they were frightened ; and the Israelites 
shouted, for they saw that their God fought for them, and they ran 
after the Philistines, and the Philistines tried to run away ; but 
the Israelites overtook a great many of them, and killed them. 
David showed the head of the Philistine to a great many of the 
Israelites, and he kept the armor that the Philistine had worn. 

Then David sang praises to God for his victory, and played 
upon his harp. He did not wish people to praise him ; he wished 
everybody to praise God. He wanted all the people to say, " How 
great God is ! He helped the poor young shepherd to conquer the 
great giant." 



Saul Tries to Kill David. 

Saul was very glad that David had killed the giant Goliath. 
David was brought to him that Saul might speak to him. He came 
in with the giant's head in his hand. Then Saul said to David, 
"Whose son are you, young man?" And David answered, "I am 
the son of Jesse, who lives at Bethlehem." 

While Saul was talking to David, there was a person standing 
near, whom you have not heard of before ; it was the son of Saul. 
He was a grown-up man, very brave, and very good ; his name was 
Jonathan : he was a prince, because he was a king's son, and the 
king's son is called a prince. 

Jonathan began to love David very much, because he was so 
brave and good. David had also a very sweet look. Still it was 
God who made Jonathan love David so much. Jonathan told him 
that he loved him, and they both promised always to be kind to 



222 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



each other. Jonathan gave his own clothes to David, and wore 
other clothes, and he also gave him his sword and his bow. 

Sanl told David that he must not go back to live with his 
father again, bnt that he nmst stay with him. So David and 

Jonathan saw each 
other very often. 
How much that 
must have pleased 
them, for friends 
like to be to- 
gether. 

Perhaps you 
think that David 
now was very 
happy. But there 
was one thing that 
soon happened to 
make him sad. I 
will tell you what 
it was. 

After the giant 
had been killed in 
the battle, the 
Israelites went 
back to their 
homes, and did not 
live in tents any 
more, and Saul, 
and Jonathan, and 
David, went to the 
place where the 
king lived. As 
they were going along they saw a great many women with 
harps in their hands, and these women played as they went, and 
sang, and danced. They were singing about David, and how he had 




DAVID FIGHTING THE PHILISTINES. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



223. 



killed the Philistines, and they said in their song that David had 
killed a great many more than Saul. These are the words they 
sang, " Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands." 

Do you think 
that David liked 
to hear these songs? 
No. He did not 
wish to be praised. 
He desired that 
God should be 
praised. He would 
have liked to hear 
the women say that 
God had helped a 
poor shepherd to 
kill the giant. 

But when Saul 
heard these songs 
he w T as very angry, 
for he wished to be 
praised, and he 
could not bear to 
hear David praised 
more than himself. 
" What," thought 
Saul, " do they say 
that David has 
killed more Phil- 
istines than I have, 
and that he is 
braver than I am ? " 
How wicked Saul was ! He was envious ; he was like Joseph's 
brothers, and he was like Cain ! 

Then Saul thought, " Perhaps David is the man who is to be 
king instead of me ? " He remembered that Samuel had told him 




SAUL TRIES TO Klhh DAVID. 



224 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



that God had chosen a better man than he was, to be king. 
Then Saul hated David, and wished to kill him. He had these 
wicked thoughts in his mind when he came back to his own 

house. Instead of 
thanking God for 
His kindness in 
having helped the 
Israelites to con- 
quer the Philis- 
tines, he was think- 
ing how he could 
kill David. 

The next day 
after he was come 
home, David saw 
that Saul was ill 
and unhappy ; so 
he took his harp, 
as he used to do, 
and began to play 
sweet music. Now 
Saul had a sharp 
thing in his hand, 
called a javelin ; 
and he thought to 
himself, " I will 
throw this at David, 
and it shall go 
through his body." 
But David saw the 
javelin coming, and 
he slipped out of the way ; so that Saul did not hurt him. Then 
Saul threw it at him again, but he could not hurt David, for God 
took care of him. Every one but Saul loved David, and this made 
Saul hate him still more. 




SAUL AND THE WITCH OF ENDOR. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 225 

David behaved so well, that Saul could not find any fault in 
him, for which he could punish him. Then he told David to 
take some men, and to go and fight against the Philistines. He 
hoped that the Philistines would kill him in battle. David went 
and killed a great many Philistines, but no one hurt him. Every- 
body praised him more, and called him brave. Saul grew more 
angry. At last he told all his servants to kill David, but they 
loved him, and would not kill him. Still Jonathan was afraid, 
lest some wicked person should mind Saul, and kill David ; so he 
told him to hide himself, while he begged his father to forgive 
Mm. Then Jonathan said to his father, " Why do you wish to 
kill David ? What has he done ? Did he not once kill the giant ? 
Then you were glad : why are you angry with him now ? n 

Saul promised that he would not have David killed. Then 
Jonathan called David and brought him to Saul, and David was 
with him as he used to be. 

But soon Saul began to hate David again, and the evil spirit 
was on him still. Then David played on his harp to make him 
well. Saul had a javelin in his hand, and he threw it at David, but 
lie slipped out of the way and the javelin stuck in the wall. 

Now David was afraid of staying any more with Saul, and he 
ran away that night. 

He did not go back to his father, for Saul would have looked 
for him there, and would have found him : but he hid himself in 
a great- many places. You will hear of many sad things that 
will happen to poor David. 

But God loved him and took care of him. 



The Death of Saul. 

At last David went to the land of the Philistines to hide 
himself from Saul. They were a wicked people, who worshiped 
idols, yet God made them kind to David, and to his men. 

The time was now almost come when Saul must die, and I 
will tell you how it happened. 
15 



226 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



You know that the Philistines hated the people of Israel, and 
used to fight against them. One day the king of the Philistines 
called a great many of his soldiers together, and took them to a 

place in the land 
of Canaan, where 
they might fight 
with the Israelites. 
When Saul heard 
they were come, he 
took his soldiers, 
and went to fight 
against them. 
Saul's good son 
Jonathan went 
with his father to 
the battle. 

The Philistines 
and the Israelites 
fought together 
upon some hills, 
and the Philistines 
conquered. God 
was angry with the 
Israelites, and he 
did not help them. 
The Israelites ran 
away from the 
Philistines ; even 
Saul and Jonathan, 
though they were 
very brave, ran 
away ; and the Philistines ran after them, and killed Jonathan. 
Some men with bows and arrows shot at Saul, and some of the 
arrows went into his body, so that he could not run any more ; yet 
he was not killed by the arrows ; he was only very much hurt. 




DEATH OF SAUL. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 227 

When Saul found that he could not run away, he was very 
unhappy, for he was afraid that the Philistines would soon get him, 
and treat him very cruelly ; so he wished very much to die before 
they overtook him. Then he said to one of his soldiers, " Take 
your sword and run it through my body." 

But the soldier would not obey so wicked a command. Then 
Saul took his own sword, and fell upon the point of it; and it 
ran through his body and killed him. It is very wicked of people 
to kill themselves. People who love God wait till He takes away 
their breath. 

When Saul was dead, the soldier who would not kill him 
when he had asked him, fell upon his own sword and died with 
him. It was Saul's wicked example that made him do so. 

The Philistines went on running after the Israelites all that 
day, and they killed a great many. 



David Becomes King. 

David was in the land of the Philistines. He knew that Saul 
and Jonathan had been fighting a battle, and he longed to know 
who had conquered. At last a man who had been at the battle, 
came to David to tell him about it. The man bowed down before 
him, and David said, " Where do you come from?" 

And the man said, " I come from the tents of Israel." 
Then David said, " Pray tell me what has happened." 
And the man said, " The Israelites have run away, and many 
are dead : and Saul and Jonathan, his son, are dead also." 

The man thought that David would have been very glad to 
hear that Saul was dead, but he was deeply grieved, for he still 
loved Saul, and he was sorry that the Philistines should have con- 
quered him. And David was very sorry for Jonathan, his friend. 
He would never see his face again in this world. 

David sang a sweet song about Saul and Jonathan. He said 
that Saul and Jonathan had been like eagles and lions, they had 



228 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

been so brave ; he said they had lived together, and had died 
together. And then he said in his song, u I am distressed for 
thee, my brother Jonathan ; thy love to me was wonderful." He 
called Jonathan his brother, because he had been so very kind to 
him. 

David did not speak of Saul's wickedness, he only spoke of 
his bravery: for he did not like to speak against the king. 

Now the time was come when David was to be king. God put 
it into the hearts of the Israelites to ask David to be their king, and 
God had promised that he should be, and He kept his promise, and 
made him king. 



Nathan Rebukes David. 

David was a good man, and tried to please God, who put His 
spirit into his heart ; yet still there was wickedness in David's 
heart, as well as goodness. Satan used to tempt him to do wicked 
things. Sometimes he did not pray to God to keep him from 
Satan, and then David used to mind what Satan said. Shall you 
not be very sorry to know that David committed a great sin? 
But God rebuked him for his sin and punished him. 

One day, Nathan, who was a prophet, came to David. God 
had told Nathan what David had done. 

Nathan said to David, " God has been very kind to you, and 
made you king. Why have you disobeyed His commandments ? 
God will punish you for your wickedness. Your children shall 
fight each other, and kill each other, and behave very wickedly to 
you as long as you live." 

David was very sorry when he heard that God was angry 
with what he had done, and he said, " I have sinned against the 
Lord." 

Then Nathan said, " God has forgiven you ; you shall not die." 

David was really sorry for what he had done. He was not 
like Saul, who only cared for the punishment ; he was most sorry 
because he had displeased God. 






MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



229 



David played a very sad psalm on his harp, and he gave it 
to the singers to sing near the ark. 

He asked God in his psalm to wash out his sins. These 
were some of David's words : " Wash me, and I shall be whiter 
than snow. Create in me a clean heart, O God ; and renew a 
right spirit within me." 

Yon see that David prayed to God to forgive him, and God 
did forgive him. But God had said that He would punish David 







NATHAN REBUKING DAVID. 

Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight ? 
thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be" thy 
wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Amnion. Now therefore the 
sword shall never depart from thine house. — II Samued xii: 9, 10. 

for his sin, even though He had forgiven him. David had a great 
many children, and some of them were very wicked when they 
grew up. I cannot tell you about all his bad children, but I will 
tell you of one called Absalom. He was a very proud young man : 
he was very handsome, and had beautiful hair, and he was very 
vain of his beauty: he also told lies, and he even killed one of 
his brothers who had offended him. When David heard how 



2^0 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



Absalom had killed his brother, he was angry with him for a 
long time, and would not see him ; but at last he let him come 
to his palace, and kissed him, and forgave him. David ought 

never to have 
allowed Absalom 
to come to Jerusa- 
lem again after he 
had killed his 
brother : but he 
was too fond of 
Absalom. 

Yet Absalom 
did not love his 
father. He wished 
to be king instead 
of David, and so 
he behaved very 
kindly to all the 
people in Jerusa- 
lem, that they 
might love him 
better than they 
loved his father, 
and make him 
king. He used 
sometimes to kiss 
the poor people 
that he saw, and 
tell them that if 
he were king he 
would be very kind 
to them. This kind way of behaving made the people love 
Absalom, for they thought that he really cared for them. How 
very sly and deceitful he was ? When Absalom saw that many 
of the people loved him, he asked David's leave to go from 




DAVID FLEEING FROM JERUSALEM. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 231 

Jerusalem into the country. And David gave him leave. David 
did not know what a wicked plan Absalom had made. This was 
the wicked plan. 

Absalom had desired a great many men to wait till they heard 
the sound of a trumpet, and when the}^ heard it — to cry out, 
" Absalom is king ! " So when Absalom had left Jerusalem, and 
come into the country, he desired the trumpet to be blown, and a 
great many of the people called out, " Absalom is king ! " and 
came to Absalom to be his soldiers. 

Poor David was in Jerusalem, and a messenger came and told 
him that Absalom had made himself king. How grieved David 
was to hear this news ! He could not bear to think that his son 
was so wicked as to make himself king. Then David thought of 
his own sin, and he felt that he deserved to be punished. He 
knew that it was God that let all these sad things happen 
to him. 

He would not stay in Jerusalem, for he thought that Absalom 
would soon come there, and would perhaps kill him, and his 
servants. So the king left his palace on Mount Zion, to go a 
great way off. There were many people in Jerusalem who loved 
David, and they went with him. 

First they crossed a little river that was outside Jerusalem, 
and as they w r ent over all the people wept. They wept to think 
that their dear king was obliged to leave his house, and to wander 
about without a home. 

Then David and his servants went up a high hill ; and 
David wept as he went up, and he covered his head, and wore no 
shoes on his feet: he did these things to show he. was unhappy: 
and all the people with him did the same, and wept as they went 
up. You see how much the people loved David. 

And when David was come to the top of the hill he prayed 
to God. He knew that God would comfort him in his distress. 

Then David and his men went on their sorrowful journey. 
At last they crossed over the river Jordan. On the other side 
there was a place called a wilderness. 



232 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



Absalom is Found Hanging on an Oak Tree. 

David and his men lived in a city in the wilderness. The 
city had walls and gates. Absalom soon heard where his father 

was, and he came 
after him with a 
great army. He 
crossed over the 
River Jordan, and 
desired his men to 
set up their tents 
near the city where 
David was. 

Then David 
saw that his wicked 
son meant to fight 
against him. So 
one morning he 
desired his soldiers 
to go out of the 
city. David was 
going with them ; 
but they begged 
him not to come, 
lest he should be 
killed in the battle. 
These people loved 
him very much. 
Then the king said,. 
" I will do as you 
think best." He 
did not wish to go 
to this battle, for he did not like to fight against Absalom. David 
told the soldiers before they went to battle not to hurt Absalom ; 
for he still loved his wicked son. 




DEATH OF ABSALOM. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 233 

Absalom and his soldiers came out to fight against David's men. 

Who do you think conquered ? David's men, because God 
helped them ; and Absalom's men tried to run away, and a great 
many of them were killed. 

Now you shall hear what became of Absalom. 

He rode upon a mule, and as he was riding he passed under a 
great oak-tree, and his long, beautiful hair was caught in the boughs, 
and the mule ran away and left him hanging by his head in the 
tree, with his feet lifted up from the earth. 

One of David's soldiers saw him, and went to the captain, 
Joab, and said, " Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak." 

Then Joab said, "And why did you not kill him? If you 
had I would have given you a great deal of silver, and some 
clothes. " 

But the man answered, " If you would have given me a 
thousand pieces of silver, I would not have hurt Absalom, for I 
heard the king desire that no one should hurt him." 

Then Joab went very quickly to the oak-tree, and found 
Absalom still hanging there. So he took three darts, and thrust 
them through Absalom's heart; and ten young men, that were 
with Joab, hurt him also with swords, or darts, and killed him. 

Joab took his body down from the tree and cast it into a 
great pit in the wood, and laid a great heap of stones on the 
spot. 

When Absalom was dead, Joab blew a trumpet to call back 
his soldiers from running after Absalom's soldiers : for now he 
was dead the Israelites might leave off fighting. Absalom's 
soldiers went back to their tents, and Joab took his soldiers back 
to the city where David was. 

But before Joab and his men went back, two men ran very 
fast to tell David what had happened. 

How much David longed to know whether Absalom was 
dead ! He wished his men to conquer, and yet he did not want 
Absalom to be killed. No, he would rather die himself than that 
Absalom should be killed. 



234 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



David 1 s Grief for the Death of Absalom. 

David was sitting near the gates of the city in the wilderness. 

A man stood npon the top of the wall near the gate, to watch 

and see whether 
any person was 
coming into the 
city. Soon the 
watchman saw a 
man running, and 
he cried out, " I 
see a man running 
alone." Then said 
David, " No doubt 
he brings some 
message." Soon 
afterward the 
watchman cried 
out, " I see another 
man running 
alone." Then 
David said, " He 
also brings a mes- 
sage." 

The first man 
was a young priest. 
He ran up to 
David, and cried 
out, " All is well." 
He said all 
was well, because 
David's men had 

conquered. Then the priest fell down to the ground upon his face 

before the king, and he thanked God for having let David's men 

conquer. 




THE MESSENGERS TEU, DAVID OF THE DEATH OF ABSALOM. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 235 

Then the king said, " Is the young man Absalom safe? " The 
"priest knew that Absalom was dead, but he did not like to grieve 
David by telling him this sad news all at once ; so he said, " There 
was a great deal of noise and confusion when Joab sent me here." 
This young priest loved David so much that he did not like to 
tell him what the noise was about. 

Soon the other mau came running up to David, and he said, 
" God has punished the wicked people who fought against the 
king." 

Then the king said, u Is the young man Absalom safe?" 

And the messenger answered, u May all people who fight 
against the king be as Absalom now is ! " The king knew that 
the man meant that Absalom was dead. 

How very unhappy he was when he heard this ! He went 
into a room that was near the gate, and he wept as he went up, 
and he said, " O my son Absalom ! my son, my son Absalom ! 
Would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my 
son ! " 

When David's soldiers were coming back into the city, they 
heard how much the king was grieved for Absalom, and they felt 
unhappy, too, because they loved the king. He did not come out 
to meet them, and to thank them for having fought for him, as he 
would have done if Absalom had not been killed ; but he remained 
by himself, and he covered his face, and cried, " O my son Absa- 
lom, my son, my son!" 

Did not Absalom come to a very dreadful end ? He died in 
the midst of his wickedness. 

How much David loved this wicked Absalom ! He went on 
crying for him for some time. David knew why God had let 
him have such a wicked child. It was because of his sin ; yet God 
had forgiven David. 

Now Absalom was dead, David could return to Jerusalem. The 
people who had said that Absalom was king now wished David 
to be king again. So he went over the River Jordan on his way 
back to Jerusalem. 



236 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

David's Farewell to His People. 

God had promised David that one of his sons should be a good 
and a wise man, and that he should succeed him in the kingdom. 

This son's name was Solomon. God told David that he was 
to be king after him. At last David grew very old and weak, and 
he knew that he should die. So he wished to make Solomon king 
before he died. He desired the high priest to pour oil upon his 
head ; and so the high priest anointed Solomon to be king. 

Then David desired his people to come together to a place in 
Jerusalem, that he might speak to them all before he died. When 
they were all come, the king stood up on his feet and said, " I 
once wished to build a house for the ark of God, but God would 
not let me build it, because I had shed so much blood in battle,, 
but He said that my son should build it." 

Then David spoke to Solomon, and said, " Solomon, my son, 
serve God, and He will bless you." Then David showed Solomon 
the things he had got ready for building the house; gold, and 
silver, and iron, and stones, and wood : and he asked the people 
whether they would give any of their things to build a house for 
God. 

And the people gave a great many things: gold, and silver, 
and brass, and iron, and beautiful shining stones : and the people 
liked to give their things for God's house. 

And David was pleased to see that they liked to give : for 
that was a sign that they loved God. 

Then David prayed to God, and thanked Him for letting 
Solomon build Him a house, and for letting the people give their 
things to God. And David asked God to make Solomon love Him, 
and obey Him. 



Story of Solomon the Wise Man. 

Almost the first thing that Solomon did, when he was made 
king, was to offer sacrifices to God. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 237 

He did not offer these sacrifices on Mount Zion, where the 
ark was, but he went to the place where the old tabernacle was, 
that Moses had made, and where the great brass altar was, and 
there he offered a great many sacrifices to God. He offered the 
sacrifices in meekness and truth, to show that he loved God and 
wished to serve Him. 

The night after Solomon had offered the sacrifices, God spoke 
to him while he was asleep, and said, " Ask what I shall give thee." 

Now Solomon had just been made king, and he saw what a 
hard thing it was to be a good king: for he wished to judge the 
people righteously and kindly. People who quarreled with each 
other came to Solomon ; and it is very hard when people quarrel, 
to find out who is in fault, and who ought to be punished. 

He wished very much to judge the people well ; and so he 
asked God to make him very wise. 

He said to God that night, "Thou hast made me king over 
a great many people, and I am very young, and do not know 
what I ought to do. Make me very wise that I may judge the 
people well." 

God was very much pleased with Solomon, and He said, " You 
did not ask Me to make you very rich, or make you live a long 
while, or make you conquer your enemies ; but you asked for 
wisdom ; therefore I will make you wiser than any man that ever 
lived; and I will make you very rich, so that no other king shall 
be as rich or as great as you : and if you love Me, and serve Me 
as David did, I will make you live a long while." 

Then Solomon awoke. How pleased he must have been to 
think of the promise that God had made him ! He went back to 
Jerusalem, and offered up more sacrifices near the ark on Mount 
Zion. 

Story of the Two Women and the Dead Child. 

One day there came two women to Solomon. They had 
quarreled with each other. Solomon was the judge, and the women 
stood before him. 



2 3 8 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



One of these women held a dead baby in her arms, and the 
other held a living baby in her arms. Both the babies were very 
little creatures, only a few days old, so that the living baby was not 
old enough to sit 
up and to look 
about it, or to 
smile. 

The woman 
who held the dead 
baby seemed very 
unhappy, and she 
said to the king, 
"This dead baby 
is not my own, 
the other baby 
is mine. I lived 
in the same house 
with that woman, 
and no one lived 
in the house 
beside us two; 
and one night 
that woman lay 
upon her baby in 
bed, and killed it, 
and so she got up, 
and put her dead 
baby in my bed 
while I was asleep, 
and took my living 
baby into hers: and 
when I awoke in the morning I was going to feed my baby, but 
I found only this dead one ; but when I had looked at it, I saw it 
was not my own baby." Then the other woman said, " You do 
not speak truth : the living baby is mine, and the dead one is. 




SOLOMON AND THE TWO WOMEN. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 239 

yours." Then the other woman said again, " No, the living baby 
is mine, and the dead is 3 T ours." 

Which of these women spoke the truth ? How could Solomon 
find out ? How could he tell which ought to have the living baby ? 

But God made Solomon very wise, and he thought of a way to 
find out who spoke the truth. So he called out, " Bring me a sword. " 
And the servants brought a sword to the king. Then Solomon said, 
" Cut the living bab}^ in two, and give half to one woman, and half 
to the other ; because both the women say the child is theirs, so let 
them each have half." 

Then one of the women cried out, " Oh, do not cut the child in 
half; but let that woman have it ; only do not kill it." 

But the other woman said, " Oh, let the child be cut in half, and 
let us each have half." 

Now which do you think was the mother of the living baby ? 
Was it not the one who said, " Do not let it be killed? " 

How do you know that she was the mother ? Because she 
loved the baby so much. Mothers would rather that any one 
should have their babies, than that they should be killed. 

Solomon knew which was the mother, and he said to his 
servant, " Give her the living child, and do not kill it ; she is its 
mother." 

Solomon had not intended to kill the baby. He only wanted 
to see what the women would say, that he might find out which 
was the mother. Was not that a wise plan of Solomon ? God 
had really made him as wise as He had promised He would. 



Solomon Builds a Beautiful Temple. 

Soon after Solomon became king he began to build the temple. 
He had a great many things to build it of : gold, and silver; iron, 
and brass ; and stones, and wood ; and he had a great many ser- 
vants to build it. David, his father, had told him how to build 
it. God had told David, and he had written it down. 



24-0 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



Solomon did not bnild the temple npon Mount Zion, but upon 
another high hill in Jerusalem. 

He desired a great many large stones to be laid upon the 
ground for the beginning of the house ; then he directed his ser- 
vants to cut down 
a great many trees. 
He had some more 
wood which David 
had given to him. 
Solomon built the 
walls of wood, and 
he put wood at 
the top; and he 
covered the inside 
of the house with 
gold. 

How beautiful 
it must have been 
inside! How bright 
it must have shone 
when the candles 
were lighted ; for 
Solomon made ten 
candlesticks of 
gold, to give light 
to the house. Sol- 
omon put other 
beautiful things in 
the temple, besides 
the ten candle- 
sticks. He put ten 
tables for bread, 
and a golden altar to burn sweet spices in the midst. And 
Solomon made a court round the temple ; with a stone wall round 
the court; and he put in the court ten large basins of brass, to 




BUILDING THE TEMPI, h,. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



241 



-wash the animals in before they were sacrificed ; and he made one 
basin larger than the rest ; and he made twelve oxen of brass, 
and pnt this large basin on the backs of the oxen ; and he had 
the basin filled 
with water for the 
priests to wash in. 

In the court, 
Solomon placed a 
very large brass 
altar that he had 
made. It was so 
large that a great 
many lambs, and 
bullocks, and 
goats, might be 
burned on it at the 
same time. 

At last the 
temple was quite 
finished, and it was 
the most beautiful 
house in the world. 
It could not be 
moved about as the 
tabernacle had 
been in the wilder- 
ness : but Solo- 
mon never wished 
to move it from 
Jerusalem. It was 
a great deal larger 
than the tabernacle. When it was finished, Solomon desired all 
people to come to the temple. The priests came, and they carried 
the ark into a little room in the temple called the Holy of Holies : 
and Solomon had made a great door to the little room : and he had 
16 




BRINGING THE ARK TO THE TEMPLE. 



242 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

placed a great curtain or vail over the door, and lie had made two 
very large angels of wood, covered with gold, and placed them in 
the little room, besides the two golden angels that were on the 
top of the ark. The large angels stood upright, and each had 
two great wings stretched out all across the little room ; the priests 
left the ark under the wings of the great angels, and no one 
could see into the little room because of the great door, and of the 
curtain or vail which was over the door. 

The other part of the temple was filled with priests, and with 
singers all clothed in white, and holding harps and other musical 
instruments in their hands — and some of the priests blew trumpets ;. 
and these were the words the singers sang : — 

" O give thanks unto the Lord ; for He is good ; for His mercy 
endureth for ever." 

As soon as the priests had left the ark in the little room,, 
and while they and the singers were praising the Lord in the temple, 
the Lord Himself came down in a cloud and filled the temple, so- 
that the priests and singers were obliged to go out of the temple 
and stand in the court. 

How glad Solomon was to see that the Lord was come into 
the house that he had built for Him ! 

Solomon had made a high place of brass, and he put it near 
the brazen altar in the court, and he stood upon the high place, 
so that all the people could see him. 

He knelt down on this place, and spread wide his arms, and 
began to pray to God. His prayer was very long ; but I will only 
tell you a little part of it. He asked God to hear all people who- 
were unhappy, and who were sorry for their sins, and to forgive 
them. 

When Solomon had ended his prayer, there came down fire 
from heaven, and burned up the beasts that had been killed and 
spread upon the altar. The fire did not hurt the people ; it only 
burned the dead beasts on the altar. God sent the fire to show 
the people that He liked them to offer sacrifices to Him, and to» 
pray to Him. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 243 

When the people saw the fire, and the glory of God all over 
the temple, they bowed themselves down to the ground, and praised 
the Lord, and said, " He is good; His mercy endnreth forever." 

At last the people went home to their own houses, but they 
very often came to offer sacrifices at the temple and to pray to 
God. Sweet psalms and sweet music might be heard at the temple 
both night and day. 



Story of the Queen of Sheba. 

After the temple was finished, God said to Solomon, " I have 
heard your prayer, and I will hear the people who pray to Me 
in the temple : and if you will obey Me as David did, I will bless 
you : but if you do wicked things and worship idols, then I shall 
be very angry, and this beautiful house that you have built shall 
be thrown down." 

Solomon was very rich, and very wise, as God had promised. 
He built a great many ships, and he built a palace, and he built 
a great many towns ; and he made a great throne with six steps 
all covered with gold, and images of two lions on each of the steps, 
a lion on each side ; and a seat at the top for Solomon. 

When he spoke, he said such wise things that people came 
from a great way off to hear him, and they brought him presents; 
some brought cups of gold or silver, and some brought him fine 
clothes, and some brought spices, and some brought horses and 
mules. 

So Solomon grew very rich. He sent his ships to far countries 
over the sea, and they came back full of gold and silver, and ivory, 
and apes, and peacocks. He was the richest king in all the world. 
He was also very wise. He knew about all the plants, from the 
highest tree down to the least plant that grows ; he knew about 
the beasts, and birds, and fishes, and worms, and insects : but he 
knew something much better than these things, — he knew about 
God, and how to please Him, and he gave people very wise 
advice. 



244 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



Now there was a queen who lived a great way off, who heard 
of Solomon, and of how wise he was : and she wished very much 
to hear him talk, and to see the house that he had built. She 

had a great many 
questions to ask 
him ; I believe that 
her questions were 
about God. She 
had not been 
taught about God 
in her own country 
and she wanted to 
know a great deal 
about Him. She 
was called the 
Queen of Sheba. 
It was right of the 
Queen of Sheba to 
wish to know about 
God. She was a 
very rich lady, so 
she brought a great 
many servants 
with her, and 
many camels with 
spices and gold, 
as presents to 
King Solomon. 

Solomon was 
very kind to her, 
and answered all 
the questions that she asked him ; and he showed her all the things 
that he had built. The queen was quite surprised at all she saw 
and heard, and she said to King Solomon, " How happy are your 
servants who are always standing near you, and who hear the wise 




THE OUEEN OE SHEBA VISITS SOLOMON. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 245 

things you say ! Blessed be the Lord your God, who made you 
king." 

Then she gave a great deal of gold and silver to King Solomon, 
and he gave her all the things that she liked to have ; and then 
the queen went back with her camels and her servants into her own 
country. 

The Queen of Sheba brought back to her own home something 
better than her presents ; she brought a great deal of wisdom in her 
mind, and I hope she left off worshiping idols, and loved the true 
God. 

A great many of the wise things that Solomon said are written 
down in the Bible ; they are called " The Proverbs." When you are 
older, you shall read them, that you may grow wise. I think even 
now you would understand some of them. 



Solomon Forgets God and Worships Idols. 

The first time God appeared to Solomon He promised to make 
him wise ; and the next time He promised to bless him, if he served 
Him. 

But did Solomon serve God ? I must now tell you of the wicked 
things that he did when he was old. 

He married a great many wives. This was wrong. People 
might then have two wives, or more ; but God liked best that they 
should only have one. You remember that Jacob had two wives, 
named Rachel and Leah. If a man now was to have two wives, he 
would be punished ; then he might have two ; but not so many as 
Solomon had. 

Solomon had seven hundred wives. I think he had grown 
proud, and that he wished to be a very grand king, and it was 
thought grand for a king to have many wives. 

These wives were wicked ; they worshiped idols. Solomon 
ought not to have married heathen women. At last his wives 
persuaded him to like their idols, and to build altars for them on 



246 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

the high places round Jerusalem. And Solomon did even worse 
than this : he worshiped some of the idols himself. You did not 
think that he could have been so wicked. Was he not very foolish 
to worship idols, which are only made of wood or stone? He 
knew what was right, but he did not do it. 

How sad it must have been to see these women offering 
sacrifices, and burning incense to their idols, and Solomon bowing 
down to them ! God was very angry with Solomon ; and He said 
to him, " Because you have done this, one of your servants shall 
make himself king ; he shall take away a great deal of the laud 
of Canaan from your son, as soon as you are dead." 

Do you know it is the rule, that when a king dies the king's 
son is king instead of his father ? So when Solomon died, his son 
was king instead of him ; but very soon one of Solomon's servants 
tried to make himself king. The servant's name was Jer-o-bo-am. 
This servant made himself the king over a great part of the land 
of Canaan ; but Solomon's son was still king over the rest of the 
land. 

What God had said came true ; for He makes all He says 
come true. God had told Solomon that his son should only have 
a part of the land. This was the punishment that God gave 
Solomon. God will punish people who are disobedient. 

I hope, my dear child, that you will not be like King Solomon, 
and love God only when you are young ; but I hope that you will, 
love God all your life, from the time you are a little creature, 
until your hair is gray, and your back is bent with age, should 
you live to be so old. 



How Jeroboam Was Punished for His Wickedness. 

Jerusalem was not in Jeroboam's part of Canaan ; it was in 
the part that Solomon's son was king over. It was a good thing 
for Solomon's son that he had Jerusalem. You can tell me why 
it was a good thing — the temple was in Jerusalem, and God came 
down in the temple in a glorious cloud. 



MY .MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 247 

You know that God had desired all the people in Canaan to 
come to Jerusalem very often to worship Him. Jeroboam ought 
to have come to Jerusalem to worship God ; but he would not. 
He was very wicked, and he told his people not to go to Jerusalem. 

Why did he not like to go there ? Because there was another 
king in Jerusalem. He did not like his people to go to a place 
where there was another king, lest they should like the other 
king best. You see how proud Jeroboam was. Then he did a 
very wicked thing: he made two golden calves, and set them up 
in his part of Canaan, one calf in one town, and the other calf 
in another town, that the people might worship them instead of 
God. He told his people to worship the golden calves. He said, 
" Do not go to Jerusalem, it is too far off: worship these golden 
calves." How wicked it was of Jeroboam to teach his poople to 
worship idols ! 

Jeroboam worshiped the calves himself. One day God sent a 
prophet to him, to tell him of his wickedness. Jeroboam was 
standing by an altar burning incense to a golden calf, when the 
prophet came, and told him how angry God was with the people 
who worshiped the golden calves, and how He would punish them. 
And the prophet said, " And this is the sign that God is angry : 
the altar shall be broken, and the ashes that are on it shall fall to 
the ground." When King Jeroboam heard this he was angry, and 
wished to punish the prophet : so he stretched out his hand, and said 
to his servants, " Lay hold on him." Now while Jeroboam's hand 
was stretched out, God made it grow dry and stiff, so that he 
could not pull it back again ; and at the same time, the altar was 
broken, and the ashes fell upon the ground, as the prophet had said. 

Do you not think that Jeroboam must have been frightened then? 
He knew that no one could make his hand well but God : so he 
said to the prophet, " Pray thou to the Lord thy God for me, 
that my hand may be made well." 

Would the prophet pray to God for Jeroboam, who had been 
so unkind to him ? Yes, he prayed to God, and God made the 
king's hand as well as it was before. 



248 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Story of Elijah and the Ravens. 

You remember that Jeroboam was king over only part of the 
land of Canaan. Solomon had been king over all the land; but 
now Solomon's son was king over one part, and Jeroboam was 
king over the other part. 

I will tell you what Jeroboam was called. He was called 
King of Israel ; and Solomon's son was called King of Judah. 
Will you try to remember this ? 

At last Jeroboam died, and there was another king of Israel 
instead of him, and at last this king died, and then there was- 
another king; and at last he died, and then there was another 
king : so there were a great many kings one after the other. I 
am sorry to say that they were all wicked, and that they all 
worshiped the golden calves that Jeroboam had made. I will not 
tell you the names of these kings ; and my reason is, I am afraid 
that you will not remember so many. But I will tell you the 
name of one of them. 

At last, after a great many kings had died, one after another,, 
there was a king called Ahab. 

He was more wicked than any of the other kings had been. 
One of the worst things he did was to marry a woman who* 
worshiped idols. This woman was the daughter of the king of 
another country called Sid on. She had been brought up to worship- 
idols, and she was very fond of them, and she did a great many 
wicked things. This woman's name was Jezebel. She was called 
the Queen of Israel, because she was married to Ahab, the king. 

The name of Jezebel's favorite idol was Baal ; and she per- 
suaded Ahab to worship Baal, as well as the golden calves : and 
he built a temple for Baal in the town where he lived. There- 
were a great many men who used to teach people to worship 
Baal ; and these men were called the prophets of Baal ; and Jezebel 
was very kind to them. For Jezebel was kind to the people who- 
loved idols ; but she tried to kill the people who loved God. There 
were some people in the land of Israel who would not worship Baal,, 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



249 



and these people hid themselves in caves, lest Jezebel should kill 
them. God loved these poor people very much. 

I will now tell you of a very good prophet that lived in the laud 
of Israel. His name was Elijah : he would not worship idols, and he 
tried to persuade 
other people to 
love the true God. 
God often spoke to 
him, and told him 
what would hap- 
pen, and Elijah 
often 



very 



pra3^ed 
to God. 

Ahab and Jez- 
ebel hated Elijah 
because he was 
good, and they 
wanted to kill him. 
Elijah was very 
sorry to see so 
many people in the 
land of Israel wor- 
shiping Baal, and 
he wished very 
much that they 
should be sorry for 
their wickedness. 
At last God sent 
the people a pun- 
ishment. He sent 
no rain for a great 
many months, nor 
did he let any dew come 
hot sun scorched the 
trees did not bring forth 




JEZEBEE COMES FROM SIDON TO MEET AHAB. 



on the grass in the morning ; so 
grass, and the corn did not grow, and 
fruit. And all the people of 



the 

the 

Israel 



250 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

were very unhappy ; but God wished them to turn from their 
wickedness. 

How did Elijah get food when there was no rain ? God told him 
to go to a place where there was a pond or a brook, in a secret place, 
where he might hide himself from Ahab : and God promised to send 
some ravens to feed him. 

So Elijah went to this brook, and he drank of the water of the 
brook ; and in the morning some ravens new to him and gave him 
some bread and meat ; and in the evening they came again, and 
brought him some more bread and meat ; and the next day they came 
again, both morning and evening: so Elijah had breakfast and 
supper every day ; and he wanted nothing more. 

God can do everything. Most ravens are fierce, but God made 
these gentle. How glad Elijah must have been when he saw them 
coming with the food ! How he must have thanked God for sending 
them every day ! God has promised to feed all hungry people who 
pray to Him. He does not send ravens to feed them ; but He makes 
other people pity them and give them food. 

Elijah lived quite alone by the brook : but he knew that God was 
with him. At last there was very little water in the brook; the sun 
dried up the water, and no rain came to fill it up. There was less 
water every day, and at last there was none left. 

What could Elijah do now ? God could have filled the brook 
with water, but He did not choose to do that. He told Elijah to 
leave the brook and go to another place. 

I will tell you soon where Elijah went. 

You see what care God took of Elij ah : He will take the same 
care of you, if you love Him and pray to Him. 



Story of the Widow and Her Son. 

When the brook was dried up, God told Elijah to go a great way 
off to a place where a poor widow lived, who would give him food. 
This widow was very poor, for since there had been no rain, people 
could get very little food to eat, because so little corn grew in the fields. 




JEZEBEL AND AHAB. 



(25D 



252 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

But Elijah went where God told him. He went all across the 
land of Canaan, till he came to Zerephath, just outside Canaan. Now 
the people who lived in this town were heathen people, and worshiped 
idols. 

When Elijah was come to the gate of the town he saw a poor 
woman gathering sticks, and Elijah knew that she was the widow who 
was to give him food. Then he called to her, and said, " Fetch me, 
I pray thee, a little water in a cup, that I may drink." 

I do not wonder that Elijah was thirsty, for he had walked a 
long wajr, and there was now very little water in the land of Canaan. 

Now this widow was so kind that she was going to fetch the 
water for Elijah. Then Elijah called to her again, and said, 
" Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand." 

Then the poor widow said, " I have no bread ; I have only a 
handful of flour in a barrel, and a little oil in a jar; and I was 
just gathering some sticks, that I might make a fire, and make 
the flour and oil into a little cake, that I and my son might eat 
it ; and as we have no more food, when we have eaten it, we must die." 

Would Elijah take all the poor widow's food ? God had told 
him what to say. 

So he said to the widow, u Go and make a little cake for me 
first, and afterward make one for you and your son : for God has 
said that there shall always be some flour in your barrel, and some 
oil in your jar, till He send rain again upon the earth." 

What a wonderful promise this was ! Did the widow believe it ? 
Yes, she made a fire, and mixed the flour and oil together, and made 
some bread for Elijah, and then she made some for herself and her 
son; and still there was flour in the barrel, and oil in the jar: and 
every day she found enough flour and oil to make bread for them all. 

Elijah came and lived with this poor widow : he lived in a room 
upstairs near her house. The widow found it was a good thing to 
have such a man as Elijah in the house. Because God made the 
flour and oil last. Besides, Elijah could teach this poor woman 
about God : for you know that she had been brought up to worship 
idols. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 253 

Now, you shall hear of a very sad thing that happened to 
this poor woman. One day her child, who was a little boy, fell 
sick, and he was so very sick that he died. The poor widow was 
very unhappy. She knew that God had let him die, and she 
thought that God was angry with her: and she wished that Elijah 
had not come to her house ; and she went to him, and spoke 
angrily to him. It was very ungrateful of her to behave in this 
manner. Then Elijah said, " Give me thy son." 

Now, the widow was holding the dead child in her arms, and 
Elijah took the child in his own arms, and carried him to his 
room, and laid him on his bed. Then he began to pray to God. 
" O Lord, my God," he said, " hast Thou made this sad thing 
happen to this poor widow? Hast Thou killed her son?" 

Then Elijah stretched himself upon the child as it lay dead; 
he did so three times, and he prayed to God, saying, " O Lord, 
my God, I pray Thee let this child's soul come into him again." 

And the Lord heard Elijah's prayer ; and He let the child's 
soul return to him, and then the little boy was alive again. Then 
Elijah took him in his arms, and brought him downstairs, and gave 
him to his mother again, and said to her, " See, thy son is alive." 

"Now," said she, " I see that you are a man of God, and that all 
you tell me about God is true." 

I hope the widow believed all that Elijah said, and I hope she 
loved the God who had been so very kind to her and given her food, 
and made her little boy alive again. 

God still hears people when they pray. 



Elijah Goes on a Long Journey to See King Ahab. 

Elijah lived a long time with the poor widow. Ahab and Jezebel, 
the wicked king and queen, did not know where he was hid. They 
would have been glad to find him, that they might kill him. Ahab 
sent to all the countries round to look for him, but no one could 
find him. 



254 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

The Israelites were very unhappy, because they had very little 
food ; even King Ahab had not grass enough in his fields for his 
horses, so that a great many of them died. 

Elijah was sorry for the poor Israelites, and he prayed to God to 
send rain, that more corn and grass might grow. God heard this 
prayer, and He told Elijah that He would soon send rain ; but first He 
told Elijah to go and show himself to King Ahab. 

Do you not think that Elijah would be afraid to go to King 
Ahab ? But he did what God told him ; for he knew that God 
could take care of him. So he left the poor widow and her son, and 
set out on a long journey to the place where Ahab lived. I think 
that the widow must have been sorry when Elijah went, for he 
had fed her and taught her about God : but God had promised to 
make her flour and oil last till He sent rain ; and the rain had not 
come yet. 

Now while Elijah was on his way to King Ahab, he met a very 
good servant of the king, whose name was Obadiah. 

This servant was looking for some grass for King Ahab's horses. 
He knew Elijah when he saw him ; and was very much surprised, 
for it was a long while since any one in Canaan had seen Elijah. 
This good servant fell on his face before Elijah, and said, " Art thou 
my lord Elijah?" 

Then Elijah said, "I am; go tell your lord (King Ahab) that I 
am here." 

Then the servant was afraid, for he thought that while he was 
gone to tell Ahab where Elijah was, God would take Elijah away to 
some other place, and then Ahab would be angry with his servant 
and kill him. Ahab was a cruel master, and his servant was afraid 
of making him angry. 

But Elijah promised that he would stay in that place till King 
Ahab was come; so the servant believed Elijah's promise, and went 
to look for the king. 

Ahab was in another place, looking for grass for his horses. 
His good servant told him that Elijah was waiting to see him. So 
Ahab came to the place. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 255 

When he saw Elijah, he spoke angrily to him, and said, " Are 
you the man that troubles the people of Israel ? " 

Ahab thought that it was Elijah who asked God not to let the 
rain come. 

Then Elijah said to xAhab, " It is not I that trouble the people 
of Israel ; it is you that have made these troubles come by your 
wickedness. You have not obeyed God, and you have worshiped 
Baal." 

Then Elijah told Ahab what he wanted him to do. He. told him 
to get all the prophets of Baal together, and send them to him to a 
very high hill or mountain. 

Ahab promised to do as Elijah had bidden him, and in the next 
story I will tell you some very wonderful things that happened when 
the false prophets of Baal were gathered together on the top of the 
mountain. 



Mlijah and the Prophets of Baal. 

One morning very early, Elijah was on the high mountain 
with Baal's wicked prophets, and a great many people were standing 
all round ; and King Ahab was there, but Jezebel was not there. 

Elijah wanted the people to see that his God was the true 
God: so he said to them, "Let Baal's prophets take a bullock and 
kill it, and lay it on an altar, and then let them ask Baal to send 
fire from heaven to burn up the bullock ; and I will take another 
bullock and kill it, and lay it on the altar, and I will ask the 
Lord to send fire from heaven : and if Baal send fire, then you will 
know that he is the true God : but if my God send fire, then you 
will know that He is the true God." 

The people liked what Elijah said, and they answered, "It is 
well spoken." 

Then Elijah told Baal's prophets to take their bullock first. 
So they took it and killed it, and put it on an altar with some 
wood ; but they put no fire to the wood Then they began to pray 
to their god to send fire. They cried, " O Baal, hear us ! " till 



25 6 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



twelve o'clock, and they jumped about the altar, as they used to 
do when they prayed to him. How tired they must have been 
after calling out so long, " O Baal, hear us ! " Still the prophets 

of Baal went on 
praying for fire ; 
and at last they 
cut themselves 
with knives, and 
made their blood 
flow, because they 
thought it would 
please Baal : they 
thought he was a 
cruel god, that 
liked their blood. 
So they went on 
till three o'clock 
in the afternoon ; 
but no fire came 
from heaven. 

Then Elijah 
said it was time 
to ask his God to 
send fire : so he 
built an altar with 
twelve stones, and 
he laid some wood 
on the altar, and 
on top of that a 
bullock : and then 
he desired the peo- 
ple to throw twelve barrels of water over the altar. There was 
a river just at the bottom of the hill, and a well also, whence the 
people could bring the water : Elijah made a ditch all around the altar, 
and this ditch was quite filled with water, and the altar was quite wet. 




KILLING THE PROPHETS OF BA.AE- 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 257 

Then Elijah began to pray to God. All the people were 
standing round, while he prayed before the altar. 

This is what he said : " Lord God of Abraham, of Isaac, and 
of Israel (or Jacob), let it be known this day that Thon art God, 
and that I am Thy servant. Hear me, O Lord, hear me." 

Then all of a sudden fire came from heaven, and burnt np 
the bnllock and the altar ; and even the stones, and it licked np 
the water that was in the ditch. 

How surprised the people were at this sight ! They fell on 
their faces, and said, " The Lord, He is the God : the Lord, He is 
the God." 

Now the} T saw that Baal was not the true God. So Elijah 
desired the people to take hold of the wicked prophets of Baal, 
and to bring them down to the river at the bottom of the hill, 
and to kill them with swords ; and the blood of the false prophets 
was mingled with the water in the river. These prophets had taught 
the people to worship Baal, so God chose that they should die. 

Did the people leave off worshiping Baal ? Did the}' mind 
what EHj ah said, and pray to his God ? We shall soon hear what 
they did. 

How much they wished that God would send rain ! They 
must have felt sure that if God could send fire He could also 
send rain. 



Story of the Little Cloud not Larger than a Man's Hand. 

You have heard how the prophets of Baal were killed. Now 
Elijah knew that God would soon send rain: so he told Ahab that 
there would soon be rain, and that he might go, and eat, and drink. 
So Ahab ate and drank in some place near the high hill. But Elijah 
did not eat and drink. He went up to the top of the hill to pray to 
God. He threw himself down upon the earth, and bent down his 
head very low. 

Then he told his servant to stand up while he himself was pray- 
ing, and to look a great way off over the sea, and to tell him what he 
17 



2 5 8 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



saw. Elijah wanted God to send clouds on the sky, that there might 
be rain. The servant went up and looked, and then said to Elijah^ 
" There is nothing." Then Elijah told him to go and look, seven 

times. The sev- 
enth time the ser- 
vant came and told 
Elijah, u I saw a 
little cloud a great 
way off, as big as 
a man's hand." 

Then Elijah 
knew that God had 
heard his prayer,, 
and that the cloud 
would grow larger, 
and that rain 
would soon be 
pouring down. So 
he told the servant 
to tell Ahab to get 
ready his chariot 
and his horses, and 
to drive as fast as- 
he could to his own 
house, which was 
a great way off: 
for that there 
would soon be a 
great deal of rain. 
So Ahab rode 
in his chariot with 
his horses, and God made Elijah so strong that he ran faster than 
the horses, and he got first to the city where Ahab lived. While 
Ahab was driving and Elijah was running, there were a great 
many clouds in the sky, and soon there was a great rain. 




EUJAH AND THE ANGEI/. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 259 

It poured down in great sheets, and filled the dried-up ponds, 
and refreshed the withered grass, and softened the hard ground. 
Now the people knew that more corn and grass would soon grow in 
the fields. 

When Ahab got to his own city where he lived, he found the 
queen Jezebel there, and he told her all that had happened ; he told 
her how Baal did not send fire from heaven, and how God did, and 
he told her how Elijah had killed the prophets of Baal. 

On hearing this, Jezebel was very angry with Elijah, and she 
sent a man to tell him that she would kill him the next day. 

I think she w r as afraid of the prophet, or she would have desired 
the man to kill him that same day ; but perhaps she thought if she 
killed Elijah, there would be no more rain. 

When Elijah heard that Jezebel wished to kill him, he was 
afraid, and he would not stay in the city where she lived, but went 
very quickly all through the land of Canaan till he came to a great 
wilderness. He did not take his servant with him, but he went there 
alone. In the wilderness there were trees and hills, but very few 
houses and people. 

Elijah was quite alone in the wilderness. At last he sat down 
under a tree, and he prayed to God to let him die. Why was Elijah 
so unhappy ? Was it because he was afraid of Jezebel killing him ?' 
He was more unhappy because Jezebel went on in her wickedness.. 
Elijah saw that she would go on teaching people to worship idols,, 
and he wished everybody to love God. After he had prayed, he lay 
down under the tree, and went to sleep. Soon some one touched 
him. Who was it? An angel. The angel said, " Arise and eat. "' 

Then Elijah looked and saw a fire, and some bread near it, that 
had been just baked; and he saw a jug of water close to his head. 
Who could have got ready the bread and the water for Elijah? It 
must have been the angel. So you see that an angel was his servant.. 
God sends His angels to wait upon people who love Him. The 
angels like to wait upon them ; they fly down quickly from heaven 
when God tells them. 

Elijah ate and drank the bread and water, and then he lay 



260 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES 

down again, and slept. But soon the angel woke him again, and 
said, kl Arise and eat, for yon will soon walk a great way." 

So Elijah ate and drank again, and afterward Elijah walked 
a great way in the wilderness : but the angel's food had made him 
strong: and he lived without eating and drinking for forty days. 
Was not that a great wonder ? God can keep people alive without 
food, if he chooses to do so. 



What Happened to Elijah in the Wilderness. 

Elijah walked for forty days in the wilderness quite alone, till 
at last he came to a mountain. There he found a cave : and he 
went into the cave, and slept in it. While he was in the cave, 
God spoke to him, and asked him why he was come there. 

You know, dear children, the reason why. You know that 
Elijah had left Canaan because of wicked Jezebel, and God knew 
this: but He chose that Elijah should tell him why. 

Then Elijah said, "The people of Israel have thrown down 
God's altars, and killed God's prophets : and I am the only one 
left ; and they try to kill me." 

Then God told him to come out of the cave, and he came out 
and stood upon the mountain. And God made a very great wind 
to blow, that tore the mountain : then He made the mountain 
shake : and then God made a fire come. How dreadful it must 
have been to see and hear these things ! But God wanted to show 
Elijah how strong he was ; so that Elijah might know that God could 
take care of him, and could punish the wicked people who tried to hurt 
him. Then God spoke to Elijah in a very gentle voice, and when 
he heard this voice, he covered his face with his cloak, and went 
and stood inside the cave. 

It was kind of God to speak to Elijah in such a gentle voice! 
God loved Elijah, and wished to comfort him. But Elijah remem- 
bered what a great God He was ; so he hid his face. The angels who 
stand round God's throne in heaven, hide their faces between their 
wings. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



261 



God asked Elijah again why he came there, and then Elijah 
told the Lord that the people were wicked, and that they wanted 
to kill him. Then God told him that He wonld soon punish the 
wicked people for 
worshiping idols : 
but God said that 
all the people did 
not worship Baal ; 
and that there were 
a great many in 
Israel who had 
never bowed their 
knees to Baal, nor 
kissed his image 
with their mouths. 

After this God 
told Elijah to go 
and find a man 
called Elisha, and 
to anoint him to 
be a prophet. 

Then Elij ah 
left the cave, and 
went to look for 
Elisha. At last he 
came to a field 
where a man was 
ploughing. There 
were t wen t} 7 -fou r 
oxen drawing the 
plough. They were 
harnessed two and 
over their necks, 




DOGS 

two ; and each two 
called a yoke. A 



THE BODY OF JKZKBKI7 



had a great piece of wood 
man was walking by the 
side of the two last of the oxen. This man's name was Elisha. 
Elijah came up to him, and taking off his own cloak, threw it 



262 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

over the man's shoulders. He meant in this way to show him 
that he was to come with him, and the man knew what Elijah 
meant, and he left his oxen, and ran after him, and said, " I will 
come with thee : only let me first go and kiss my father and mother." 

Elijah allowed the man to go home for a little while. 

Then he left his home and went after Elijah ; and he was 
his servant. 



Elijah is Taken Up to Heaven in a Chariot of Fire. 

Do yon remember, dear children, that Elijah once wished to 
die? But God chose that Elijah should never die, but should 
go up to heaven without dying. How pleased Elijah must have 
been, when he knew that God meant to do this ! Should not you 
like, my dear child, to be caught up into heaven to see God, and 
to sing with the angels ? 

When Elijah knew that he was soon going up into heaven, he 
went to a great many places first, where his friends lived. These 
friends were some good young prophets who lived together, and 
learned about God. 

Once Elijah had no friends; he had thought that no one loved 
God but himself: but now he had a great many friends. These 
young prophets knew that Elijah was soon going up to heaven. 
I think they must have felt sorry to part with him : only they 
knew that he was going to be happy. 

Elisha wished very much to see Elijah go up to heaven. , 
What do you think he determined to do ? 

To keep close to Elijah, and not to leave him. Elijah said 
to him, " Pray stay at this place, while I go to another, where the 
Lord has told me to go." 

And Elisha said, " I will not leave thee." 

Soon afterward Elijah said, " Stay at this place while I go on." 

"No," said Elisha, "I will not leave thee." 

Soon again Elijah said, "Stay at this place while I go on." 

"No," said Elisha, "I will not leave thee." 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 263 

So Elijah and Elisha walked a great way together from place 
to place. At last they came to the River Jordan. Then Elijah 
took off his cloak, and folded it np, and struck the waters with 
it; and God made a path through the waters, and Elijah and 
Elisha walked through the river on dry ground. 

After they had gone over the river, Elijah said to Elisha, 
" Ask what I shall do for thee before I be taken away from thee." 

For what did Elisha ask? He wished to be such a prophet 
as Elijah was, so he asked for a great deal of his spirit. He 
wished to be a great prophet, so he might teach people about God. 
He did not want people to praise him ; he wanted them to 
praise God. 

Elijah said, "You have asked a hard thing, but if you see 
me when I am taken from you, it shall be so : but if not, it shall not 
be so." 

How much Elisha now hoped that he should see Elijah go up to 
heaven ! 

They still walked on, and talked to each other. What do you 
think they talked about ? I am sure that they did not talk of 
foolish things. I think they talked of God and of heaven, and of 
what they could do to please God. How happy Elijah must have 
felt when he knew he was soon going to see the God he loved so 
much ! 

As the}^ were talking, there came down from heaven a chariot 
and horses of fire, and Elijah was taken away from Elisha, and car- 
ried up into heaven : and Elisha saw him go up; and he cried out, 
" My father, my father ! " 

As Elijah was taken away his cloak fell from him, and Elisha 
picked it up ; and when Elisha came back to the River Jordan, he 
struck the waters with it, as Elijah had done, and the waters went up 
on each side, and there was a dry path, and Elisha walked over 
alone. 

Now Elisha saw that God had made him such a prophet as 
Elijah had been. Some of Elijah's friends were standing on the 
other side of the river, and they saw the wonder that Elisha had 



264 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

done, and they said, " The spirit of Elijah is in Elisha ; " and they 
came and bowed themselves down to him. 

The young prophets used to mind what Elijah said, and now 
they wished to mind Elisha. 

Now Elisha went about from place to place, as Elijah had once 
done, and he taught people about God, and did many wonders, to 
show people that his God was the true God. 



Story of the Bears and the Wicked Children. 

Elisha was now growing old, and his hair had become thin, so 
that he was bald on the top of his head. One day he came near a 
town where a great many people lived who worshiped idols. One of 
the golden calves that Jeroboam made was in this town. A great 
many little children came out of it, and met Elisha as he was in the 
road; and they mocked him, and said, " Go up, thou bald head ! go 
tip, thou bald head ! " They wanted Elisha to go up into heaven as 
Elijah had done, that they might not see him any more, nor hear 
what he said. 

How did they dare to speak in this way to the prophet of the 
Lord ? Elisha turned back, and looked on them, and told them that 
God would send them a dreadful punishment. 

The children soon found that Elisha had spoken truth ; for two 
bears came out of the wood, and tore forty-two of these children into 
pieces. 

No doubt the children cried, and screamed, and tried to run away 
when they saw the bears coming ; but it was of no use ; they could 
not escape: the bears overtook them, and killed them. What must 
their parents have said when they heard what had happened to their 
dear children? 

How sad it is to think of the children who were eaten up by the 
bears ! Perhaps their parents had not taught them to love God. 
Never laugh at any person who is lame, or blind ; but more than all, 
never laugh at people who pray to God. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 265 

Elisha Restores Life to a Little Boy who had Died. 

Elisha used to go about from place to place to teach people about 
God. Those people who loved God were kind to Elisha and gave 
him food. 

There was one very rich lady who used to ask him, whenever 
he passed by her house, to come in. 

This kind woman wished that she had in her house a room 
for Elisha to sleep in, and she said to her husband, " Let us make 
ready a little room close to our house ; and let us put in it a bed, 
a table, a stool, and a candlestick, that Elisha may sleep in it when 
he comes this way." 

And the lady's husband allowed her to have such a little 
room for the prophet. Soon afterward Elisha came by that way, 
and he slept in this room. He must have liked it very much — 
he could sit there alone, and think of God : and he could write in 
it, because it contained a table, and when it was dark he could 
light the candle, and go on writing or reading. 

This rich lady had a little child. One day, when the child 
was grown old enough to talk, he went out with his father into a 
field where men were reaping corn : for his father had a great many 
fields full of corn, which his servants reaped. It was the morning, 
yet the sun was getting hot, for the child soon cried out, " My 
head, my head ! " The child felt such a pain in his head that he 
could not stay in the field. 

So the father said to one of his servants, " Carry him to his 
mother." The servant carried him home to his mother, and he 
sat on her knees till tw T elve o'clock, and then he died. 

Oh, how sad the mother was when she found her little boy 
was dead ! I have often heard of little children dying quite 
suddenly, like this poor little boy. Every day we should think, 
"Am I ready to die, if I were to die to-day?" 

Xow you shall hear what the mother did with the dead child. 
She went into the room she had made for Elisha, and laid him 
on his bed, and shut the door, and went out. Elisha lived at a 



266 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

place a good way off, and the lady wished very much to go and 
see him. I need not tell you why she wished to see him. She 
asked her husband to allow her to have one of the servants to go 
with her, and one of the asses for her to ride upon, that she might 
go to Elisha and come again soon. And her husband said, "Why 
do you want to go to Elisha to-day ? This is not the Sabbath-day ; " 
because Elisha used to teach people about God on the Sabbath-day. 

And the woman said, " It shall be well ; " but she did not tell 
her husband why she wanted to go ; I suppose she was afraid of 
grieving him. A servant went with the lady, and she said to the 
servant, " Go quickly and do not stop unless I tell you." 

At last they came to the hill where Elisha was. He was with 
his servant Gehazi ; and he saw the woman coming while she was still 
a great way off, and he wanted to know why she was coming to 
him so quickly, for he thought that something was the matter; 
so he said to Gehazi, " Run now to meet her and sa}^, ' Is it well 
with thee ? Is it well with thy husband ? Is it well with the 
child ? ' " 

So Gehazi ran, and asked the woman whether it was well with 
them. And she said, "It is well." Why did she say it was well? 
Was not her child dead ? But she knew that it was well, or right, 
because God had made her child die, and she knew that all that God 
does is well. Yet the poor lady felt very unhappy. When she came 
up to Elisha she alighted and threw her arms round his feet, and 
Gehazi was going to thrust her away. Was not that very unkind ? 
Elisha would not let him do so, but said, " Let her alone ; she is 
very unhappy, and God has not told me what has happened to 
her ; " because Elisha only knew those things that God had told him. 

Elisha saw that her son was dead. So he gave his own staff, 
or stick, to Gehazi, and told him to go quickly, and not to stop 
to speak to any one by the way, and to lay the staff on the face 
of the child. But the woman would not go with Gehazi : she said 
to Elisha, " I will not leave thee." She liked better being with 
Elisha than with unkind Gehazi. She knew that Elisha loved 
God : Gehazi did not love God : he was wicked, but I am not sure 






MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



267 



whether the woman knew that he was wicked, for he pretended to 
be good. 

Gehazi went on first, and laid the staff on the child's face ; but 
the child did not hear his voice, nor did he speak. So Gehazi went 
back, and met 
Elisha coming 
along with the 
woman, and Ge- 
hazi said, " The 
child is not 
awaked." 

At last Eli- 
sha came to the 
house. He went 
into his own little 
room, and found 
the child lying 
dead on the bed, 
and he shut the 
door, and he 
stayed in the 
room alone with 
the dead child. 
Then he prayed 
to God to make 
him alive again : 
and he lay upon 
the child, putting 
his mouth upon 
the child's mouth, 
and his eyes upon 
the child's eyes, 

and his hands upon the child's hands, and he stretched himself 
upon him, and the child's flesh began to grow warm. Then he 
got up and walked up and down, and then he stretched himself 




ELISHA RESTORES THE CHIED TO EIFE. 



268 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



again over the child ; and the child sneezed seven times, and then 

he opened his eyes. 

Then Elisha called Gehazi, and desired him to tell the woman to 

come. And when she was come into the room Elisha said, " Take np 

thy son," for the 
child was lying on 
the bed. Oh, how 
glad the mother 
was ! How thank- 
ful to God and to 
Elisha! Before she 
took up the child 
she fell at Elisha's 
feet, and bowed 
herself to the 
ground, and then 
she took up her 
child, and went out 
of the room. 

Was not this 
a great wonder 
that Elisha had 
done? 

Elijah once 
made a widow's 
child alive again : 
and Elisha made 
a child alive again : 
for Elisha was such 
a prophet as Elijah 
had been, and could 
do wonders like 
God had promised that he should be like Elijah, if he saw 




THE DEAD MAN RESTORED TO UEE. 



him. 



him taken up to heaven : and God kept his promise. Ought not 
the people of Israel to have minded all that Elisha said, when 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 269 

they heard of the wonders that he did ? They might be quite 
sure that Elisha was a true prophet. 

The power of God continued to abide with Elisha even after his 
death and burial, for it is related in II. Kings, chap. xiii. 21, that 
as some men were burying a man, they became alarmed at the 
approach of a band of Moabites, and being near Elisha's sepulchre, 
they threw the body therein and fled. A very wonderful thing 
now occurred. As soon as the body of the man touched the bones 
of Elisha he was restored to life and sat up. We are not told 
anything more about the history of this man, but we are sure his 
little children were very glad to have him return to them again 
alive and well. How wonderful are the works of God ! 



Story of Naaman the Leper. 

There were a great many heathen people, who lived outside 
the land of Canaan. You know, my dear child, that people who 
worship idols are called " heathen." Some of these heathen people 
used often to come into Canaan and rob them and hurt them. 
Why did God let the people of Israel be robbed and hurt ? Because 
they did not obey Him, or mind what Elisha taught them. 

Once some of these heathen people came and took away a 
little girl out of the land of Israel : and they sold her for a slave 
to wait on a rich heathen lady, in a country a great way off. The 
lady's husband was called Naaman, and he was a great captain, 
and could fight well in battle. 

But Naaman was very unhappy, for he had a dreadful disease, 
called the leprosy. He had very sore white places on his body. 
He could not find anybody who could cure him of the disease. 
No doctor could cure him ; nor could any of the prophets of his 
idol save him. Now the little girl who waited on his wife had 
heard of the wonders that Elisha did, and she felt sure that he 
could cure her master, and she said, " Oh, that my master were 
with the prophet that is in my country, for he would cure his 
leprosy ! " 



270 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Somebody heard what the little girl said, and told Naaman. 
He wished very much to be made well, and so he determined to 
go to the land of Israel, and to ask Elisha to make him well. 

Now Elisha heard that he was coming, and he knew that God 
would help him to make Naaman well : and he hoped that when 
he was made well he would worship the true God, who could do 
such wonders : for Elisha did not wish people to praise him : he 
wished them to praise God. 

Naaman came into Canaan in a fine chariot, with horses, and 
he brought a great many servants with him. He was very proud, 
and expected that Elisha would pay him a great deal of respect, 
because he was so rich and great. He drove up to Elisha's door ; 
but the prophet did not come out to meet him : he only sent a 
messenger, who said to Naaman, " Go and wash in the River 
Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be well." 

Then Naaman was very angry, and he said, " I thought that 
the prophet would have come out to me, and would have stood, 
and called on the name of the Lord his God, and struck his hand 
over the sore place, and made me well." Besides being angry at 
this, Naaman did not like to wash in a river of the land of 
Canaan : he would rather have washed in one of the fine large 
rivers of his own country. He was so very angry, that he was 
going home to his own country without washing in Jordan : but 
his servants came to him to persuade him to do as Elisha had 
directed. They said, " If the prophet had desired you to do some 
very hard thing, would you not have done it, that you might have 
been made well ? Now he tells you to do a very easy thing, only 
to wash in the River Jordan ; and will you not do it ? " It was 
kind of the servants to try and persuade Naaman to wash in Jordan. 

Naaman listened to what they said : he w r ent to Jordan, and 
he dipped in it seven times, and his flesh grew as soft and smooth 
as the flesh of a little child. 

Now Naaman was very glad that he had done as Elisha had 
told him. I hope he was sorry for having been in such a passion 
at first. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 271 

Where do you think Naaman went, when he was well ? Did 
he go home immediately to his own country again ? Oh, no, that 
would have been very ungrateful. He went first to Elisha's house, 
and he brought all his servants with him. 

He did not feel so proud as he had done before: he did not 
expect Elisha to come out to him ; but he went in to Elisha ; and he 
told him that he was sure Elisha's God was the true God, and he 
promised that he would never worship idols any more. How glad 
Elisha must have been to hear Naaman say that he would worship 
the true God! 

Naaman wished to give Elisha some money and some beautiful 
things as a reward for having made him well : so he begged him to 
take some of the things he had brought with him. But Elisha 
would not take anything. He wished to show Naaman that he had 
not made him well that he might get money. You know, dear 
children, that Elisha had made him well that he might believe in 
the true God. 

Naaman begged Elisha very much to take something : but 
he still said he would take nothing. You see that Elisha did not 
care for money. 

Then Naaman set out in his chariot to go back to his own 
country. 

You remember that Elisha had a servant called Gehazi : 
Gehazi heard his master say he would not take anything from 
Naaman, and Gehazi wished very much that he could get some 
of the beautiful things himself: so he thought of a way of get- 
ting them by telling lies. 

Gehazi ran after Naaman's chariot : at last Naaman saw him 
running, and he stopped the chariot, and got out, for he was afraid 
that something was the matter. Naaman said, " Is all well ? " 
And Gehazi said, " All is well ; but there are two visitors, very 
good men, who are very poor, and my master wants some silver 
and two suits of clothes to give to them." 

Was this true ? Naaman did not know that Gehazi was tell- 
ing lies ; so he gave Gehazi twice as much silver as he asked for, 



272 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

and put it in two bags, and he gave him two suits of clothes, and 
he desired two of his servants to carry them for Gehazi : and 
Gehazi led the servants to a place with thick walls, where he 
used to keep things, and he desired the servants to put them 
there. Then the servants went back to Naaman, to go with him 
to their own land. 

Then Gehazi went to Elisha's house to wait upon him. He 
little thought that Elisha knew of his wickedness. He thought 
that Elisha could never find him out, because Naaman was gone 
a great way, and could not tell Elisha that he had given some 
things to Gehazi. But there was One who saw him. God saw 
him, and God told Elisha what Gehazi had done. And God told 
Elisha what Gehazi meant to buy with the money. 

He expected to buy vineyards, and fields, and sheep, and oxen, 
and slaves. 

Now I will tell you what Elisha said to Gehazi when he came 
back. He said to him, " Where do you come from, Gehazi ? " And 
Gehazi said, " I have not been anywhere." Was that true ? You see 
that Gehazi told another lie to hide his wickedness. Then Elisha 
said, " Did not mine heart go with thee, when Naaman turned again 
from his chariot to meet thee ? Let the leprosy of Naaman be upon 
thee for ever." Immediately sore white places came on Gehazi's 
skin, and he went out of Elisha's sight. Gehazi could not live with 
Elisha any more ; for people who had the leprosy were obliged to 
live by themselves. I do not know whether he ever repented of 
his wickedness. You see, my dear children, how angry God is 
with liars, and what dreadful punishments He sends on them. 



The Wonderful Story of Jonah. 

God had many prophets in Israel and Judah, and one of 
these was Jonah, and God said to him : " Arise, go to Nineveh, 
that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come 
up before Me." 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 273 

Jonah would net go. He went away by sea intending to go 
to Tarshish. 

But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there 
was a great tempest, so that there was danger of the ship being 
destroyed. 

The sailors said to one another, " Let us cast lots, that we 
may know 011 whose account the storm has arisen." 

They cast lots. There was one lot which, if a person drew, 
would show him to be the guilty one. This lot fell upon Jonah. 

So they asked Jonah, " What shall we do unto thee, that the 
sea may be calm unto us ? " 

Jonah answered, " Take me up, and cast me forth into the 
sea ; so shall the sea be calm unto you : for I know it is for my 
sake this great tempest is upon you." Then they took up Jonah 
and cast him into the sea. As soon as Jonah was in the sea it 
became calm. 

Though the waters were now calm, yet he must soon have 
perished, had not God prepared a refuge for him. It was a fish — 
a very great fish — which swallowed Jonah. There was a place 
inside the fish where he could live, though it was dark and damp. 
Here Jonah thought upon his sins. He knew that he was now 
being punished for his disobedience. He prayed to God and vowed 
that if he were delivered he would sacrifice to the Lord, and give Him 
thanks. 

The Lord heard Jonah's prayer, and on the third day he made 
the fish cast him out upon the seashore. 

The word of the Lord came again to Jonah, " Arise, go unto Nine- 
veh, that great city, and preach what I bid thee." This time Jonah 
obeyed and set out. The journey to Nineveh was five hundred miles. 

At length he reached the city, with her walls a hundred feet 
high, and her towers of two hundred feet — the largest city in the 
world. 

As scon as Jonah arrived he went into the midst of the city, 
and preached what God had told him, u Yet forty days, and Nineveh 
shall be overthrown." 
18 



274 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

The people listened, and feared and believed and repented. So 
God did not visit the city in judgment. 

Was Jonah glad that God had spared Nineveh ? 

No — he was angry, for he thought he should be despised because 
his word did not come true. This was very selfish. He thought 
only of himself, and did not feel for those thousands of people in 
the great city. 

God determined to show him his sin by something He was 
going to do. 

God prepared a gourd — a climbing plant with large leaves. 
This gourd came up in one night over Jonah's booth. 

In the morning Jonah was surprised to find this leafy shelter 
over his booth. He was now exceeding glad, because he had got 
something to please himself. 

He enjoyed the cool shade for one day. The next day he 
found his gourd withered and dead, for God had prepared a worm 
to destroy the plant in the night. 

Then God prepared another thing, — a fierce wind, that blew 
from the east, and was burning hot, and the sun beat upon Jonah's 
head till he fainted. Thus Jonah showed he could not bear heat 
himself; why did he wish the people of Nineveh to be burned up? 

Again the selfish man wished to die, and said a second time, 
" It is better for me to die than to live." The Lord answered, 
" Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd ? " 

Then the Lord talked to him, and showed him his sin. And 
Jonah was ashamed and penitent. 

Let us never fear to do what God commands; nor try to flee 
from God's presence. 

The Story of King Hezekiah. 

My dear children, I have told you a great deal about Elisha. 
You have heard what a great man}' wonders he did. Did the 
people of Israel mind what he said? or did they still go on in wicked- 
ness ? They went on in their wickedness. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



275 



At last Elisha died. God did not take him up to heaven in a 
chariot of fire. He died in his bed, and his spirit went to heaven, 
but his body was buried in the ground. After he was dead, the 
people of Israel 
grew still more 
wicked. King 
Ahab had been a 
very wicked king, 
and Ahaziah, his 
son, who reigned 
after him, had been 
wicked, and when 
he died, there was 
another king, and 
he was wicked; and 
at last he died, and 
there was another 
king, and he was 
wicked : and there 
were a great many 
kings of Israel, 
one after the other, 
and they were all 
wicked. At last 
God determined to 
send a great pun- 
ishment to all the 
people of Israel. 
You shall hear 
what it was. There 
was a king who 
lived a great way off, in a country called Assyria, and he was 
called the King of Assyria. He was a heathen king and was very 
rich, and he had a great many soldiers who could fight well. 
The King of Assyria came with his soldiers into the land of 




THE KING OF ASSYRIA AND HIS ARMY. 



276 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Canaan, and fought against the people, and conquered them ; they 
got into all their towns, and took the people away to be their 
slaves. How unhappy the people of Israel were when they were 
taken away from their houses and gardens, and obliged to go a 
great way off, and work very hard ! 

This was the punishment God sent them at last, because they 
would worship idols, and do many wicked things. They never 
came into their own country again, but heathen people came and lived 
in it. 

I am now going to speak to you about something I told you 
a long while ago. I shall be much pleased if I find that you 
have not forgotten it, for it is a thing hard to remember. Do 
you remember that God had been angry with King Solomon, and 
said that his son should be king over only part of Canaan ? 
What God had said came true. Jeroboam took away a great deal 
of the land from Solomon's son. Jeroboam was called the King 
of Israel, and Solomon's son was called King of Judah. Now 
Solomon's son lived in Jerusalem, but Jeroboam lived in the other' 
part of the land. 

I have not told you about the kings of Judah. When Solomon's 
son died, his son was King of Judah, and when he died, his son 
was king — and so there were a great many kings one after another : 
some of the kings of Judah were good, and some were wicked. 
At last there was a good king, called Hez-e-ki-ah. 

He lived at Jerusalem, and he liked to worship God in the 
temple, and he persuaded a great many people to come and worship 
God: for Hezekiah loved God. 

Now you shall hear what care God took of Hezekiah. He 
had let the King of Assyria take away the people of Israel. 
Would God let him hurt the good King of Judah? Hear what 
God did ! 

The King of Assyria sent some of his soldiers to Jerusalem : 
and they brought their tents, and waited all round the city and 
tried to get in. The people shut the gates fast : still they were 
afraid lest the King of Assyria's soldiers should get in at last. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



277 



But Hezekiah knew that God could keep them from being hurt. 
The people of Assyria spoke very wicked words against God, 
while they were waiting outside Jerusalem : and one day the king 
wrote a letter, and 
sent it to Heze- 
kiah. 

It was a very 
wicked letter : this 
was what was writ- 
ten in it: " Your 
God cannot save 
you from the King 
of Assyria, who 
has conquered a 
great man}' coun- 
tries : the gods of 
those people could 
not save them, 
neither can your 
God save you." 

Some men 
brought this letter 
to King Hezekiah, 
and he read it. He 
could not bear to 
read such wicked 
words against God: 
so he took it into 
the temple, and j 
spread the letter 
before God, and 
began to pray. He 
Thou hast made 




THE ANGEL OF THE LORD DESTROYING THE ASSYRIANS. 



said, " O God, Thou art the true God ; 
heaven and earth. Other gods are only idols, 
made of wood and stone : they could not keep people from being 
hurt. Oh, save us from the King of Assyria, that everybody may 



278 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

know that Thou art the only God." God heard Hezekiah's prayer. 
Now I will tell you what He did that night. He sent His angel 
to kill a great many of the people of Assyria as they lay in their 
tents. 

The angel did not kill them all, but the rest were very 
much frightened, when they found that so many had died in the 
night : and they went back to their own country, and they did not 
get into Jerusalem. 

So God saved Hezekiah, King of Judah. 



The King of Babylon Captures Jerusalem and Burns 

the Temple. 

How kind God had been to Hezekiah, King of Judah! 

God would not let the people of Assyria hurt him. At last 
Hezekiah died, and there was another king; and at last he died, 
and there was another king : and at last he died, and there 
was another king : and so there were a great many kings, 
one after another, and most of them were very wicked. Most 
of the people of Jerusalem were wicked, and worshiped idols. 
So God sent prophets to tell them that He would not keep them 
from being hurt any more, and that He would let some heathen 
king take them a great way off. 

You remember that the people in the other part of Canaan 
(who were called the people of Israel) had been taken away by 
the King of Assyria : and God said that the people of Judah should 
be taken away by some other king. 

At last there came a rich, proud king, called Nebuchadnezzar, 
to fight against the people in Jerusalem. This king came from 
a country called Babylon. 

He had a great many soldiers, who placed their tents all 
round Jerusalem. They got into the city, and they broke down 
the wall, and they burnt a great many of the fine houses, and 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



279 



they even burnt the beautiful temple that Solomon had built, 
and they took away the golden things that he had put in it, the 
gold basins, and candlesticks, and altars, spoons, and cups, and 
shovels, and they 
took them to 'Baby- 
lon, to put them 
in the house of 
their idols. 

There was a 
king in Jerusalem 
named Zedekiah. 
Nebuch adnezzar 
took this king and 
put out both his 
eyes, and brought 
him to Babylon, 
and kept him in 
prison till he died. 
Nebuch adnezzar 
killed a great 
many people, and 
he took a great 
many more to be 
slaves with him in 
Babylon ! 

How sorry the 
people were to 
leave their land, 
and go to Babylon ! 

They sat down 
by the rivers of 
Babylon and wept 
to do, but they 




THE SOLDIERS OF BABYLON CAPTURE ZEDEKIAH. 



and they would not sing psalms as they used 
hanged their harps upon the willow-trees that 
grew by the water side. 

Why did God let them be taken from the land of Canaan ? 



28o MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Because they had sinned against Him by breaking His laws 
and hurting his prophets. At last He would punish them, as He 
had said He would. 



Story of the Three Men Who Were Thrown into a Fiery Furnace. 

Some of the people, who were taken to Babylon, loved God. 
I will tell you about three young men, who loved Him very much, 
and who would not worship idols. 

Nebuchadnezzar once made a very large image of gold : it 
was higher than a very tall tree. This image was placed out 
of doors, and Nebuchadnezzar sent for all the judges and captains 
in his land, and for a great many rich people, to come and see 
this golden image. Now Nebuchadnezzar had made the three good 
young men judges ; so that they were obliged to come and see the 
golden image. 

When all these captains, and judges, and rich men were 
come, they stood round the image, and a man called out very 
loud, " O people, when the music begins to be played, then fall 
down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar has set 
up. Whoever does not fall down and worship, shall immediately 
be cast, into a burning fiery furnace." 

Do you know, dear children, what a furnace is ? It is a place 
full of fire ; it is like a very large oven. How horrible it must be 
to be put into a furnace ! Would the three good young men wor- 
ship the image, or would they not ? 

Very soon the music began to play, and the people fell down 
and worshiped the image. 

Then some men came to Nebuchadnezzar, and said, u O king, 
live for ever. Did you not desire that every man should fall down 
and worship the golden image, when the music was played ; and 
that if any one did not worship, he should be cast into a fiery fur- 
nace ? There are three men who have not minded what you said : 
they never worshiped your gods, nor have they worshiped the golden 
image." 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



281 



Then Nebuchadnezzar was in a rage, and he desired the men 
to be brought to him. Then these men were brought before the 
king. And Nebuchadnezzar said to them, " Is it true that you do 
not worship my gods, nor the golden image I have set up ? Now, 
if the next time the music is played, you fall down and worship, it 
is well : but if not, you shall be cast into the furnace. And who 
is the God who can deliver you out of my hand?" 

Then the young men answered the king, " O Nebuchadnezzar, 
our God is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He 
will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But, if not, we will not 
serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image thou hast set up." 

Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury ; and his face became 
dark and threatening, because he was 
in such a great passion. 

He desired his servants to make 
the furnace seven times hotter than 
usual, and he ordered the strongest of 
his soldiers to throw the three young 
men into the furnace. First the young 
men were bound, so that they might 
not be able to move when they were in 
the fire ; and their clothes were not 
taken off. Then the strong soldiers 
threw them into the furnace ; and the 
flames were so great that the soldiers who put in the young men 
caught fire, and were burnt up. The three young men fell down 
in the midst of the furnace. 

Nebuchadnezzar stood near, and watched to see the young men 
burning. But how greatly surprised he was to see them walking 
about the furnace, and to see a man with them, who looked like the 
Son of God ! Nebuchadnezzar cried out to his servants, " Did we not 
cast three men into the fire ? " and they answered, " True, O king." 

And Nebuchadnezzar said, " I see four men walking in the 
midst of the fire, and they are not hurt ; and one of them is like 
the Son of God." 




THE FIERY FURNACE. 



282 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Nebuchadnezzar had never seen the Son of God ; but he had 
never seen a man like him who was in the furnace : so he supposed 
that he must be a God. 

Then Nebuchadnezzar went to the furnace, and called the 
three young men by their names, and said, " O servants of the 
Most High God, come forth, and come hither." And the three 
young men came out of the furnace. Then all the judges and 
captains came near and looked at the young men, and saw that 
they were not the least hurt ; not a hair of their heads was singed, 
nor were their clothes scorched, nor did they even smell of fire. 
Then Nebuchadnezzar saw that there was a God who could deliver 
His servants from the burning flame ; and he said, that if any person 
spoke against this God, he should be cut to pieces, and his house 
should be made a dunghill. And the king was very much pleased 
with the three young men. 



Story of the Handwriting on the Wall. 

At last Nebuchadnezzar, the proud King of Babylon, died, and 
there was another King of Babylon, called Belshazzar. He was 
the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar ; and he was like his grandfather, 
for he was proud, and worshiped idols. 

One day he made a great feast, and a great many rich men, 
called lords, came to his feast, and Belshazzar drank wine before 
them. Do you remember, my dear children, that Nebuchadnezzar 
had taken the gold and silver cups that were in the temple at 
Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon? Belshazzar desired 
that these cups might be brought for him, and his lords, and his 
wives, to drink wine out of them. So they were brought, and 
Belshazzar, and his lords, and his wives, drank wine in them : and 
while they drank, they praised their idols, which were made of 
gold, and silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. 

While they were drinking, the king saw the fingers of a 
man's hand writing on the wall of the palace, near where the 
candlestick stood. He did not see a man, only some fingers. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



283 



The king was very much frightened : he did not look merry any 
longer, but he trembled very much, and his knees knocked against 
each other. 

Belshazzar wanted to know what was written on the wall : 
there were four words written there, but he could not read that 
kind of writing, so he sent for all the men in Babylon who 
were called wise and clever, and who said they could tell hard 
things 

Belshazzar said, " Whoever will read that writing and tell 
the meaning of it, shall be clothed in scarlet (such as kings used 
to wear), and shall have a golden chain round his neck, and shall 
be made a great judge. 

A great many people tried to read the writing, but they could 
not. Then Belshazzar was still more frightened, and looked very 
much terrified, and his lords 
were frightened also. They 
were afraid that something 
dreadful had been written 
on the wall : they thought 
something sad was going to 
happen. About this time the 
queen, Belshazzar's mother, 
having heard what had 
taken place, came into the room and said, " O king, live forever, 
Do not be frightened, there is a man in Babylon who is very 
wise indeed, and who can tell the meaning of things : his name 
is Daniel. Let him be called, and he will know the meaning of the 
writing." 

Now this Daniel was one of the men whom Nebuchadnezzar 
had brought from Jerusalem : he was an Israelite. When he first 
came to Babylon he was quite young, but now he was old : he 
was very wise, and he loved God very much. 

Belshazzar desired Daniel to come to him, and when he was 
come he said, " I hear that you can tell the meaning of hidden 
or mysterious things : if you can read the writing on the wall, 




THE HAND WRITING ON THE WALL. 



284 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



and tell the meaning of it, you shall be clothed in scarlet, and 

wear a gold chain, and be made a great judge." 

But Daniel said, " I do not want any reward, yet I will read 

the writing, and tell the meaning of it." Then Daniel told Belshazzar 

that the true God 
was very angry 
with him for being 
so proud, and for 
sending for the 
cups of His temple, 
and for drinking 
in them and prais- 
ing idols ; and for 
not worshiping 
God, though he 
had heard of Him. 
Daniel said that 
the writing on the 
wall meant that he 
should soon be 
king no more, but 
that some people 
would come and 
take his land from 
him. 

Then Belshaz- 
zar desired that 
Daniel should be 
clothed in scarlet, 
and wear a golden 
chain about his 
neck, and that his 

people should obey him. That very night a king from another 

country came into Babylon, with a great many soldiers, and killed 

Belshazzar, and took his throne, and his crown, and all he had. 

So the words that God had written on the wall came true. 




THE SOLDIERS OF DARIUS KILL BELSHAZZAR. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



28 



Daniel in the Lion's Den. 

The name of the king that conquered Belshazzar was Da-ri-us. 
He was a proud man, and he worshiped idols ; yet he liked Daniel 
very much : and he 
set him over all the 
other j udges and 
lords, and told all 
the people to mind 
him. Daniel was 
a very wise man, 
and he was fit to 
be a judge. There 
were a great many 
rich men, who 
hated Daniel, be- 
cause the king told 
them to mind him, 
and because the 
king liked Daniel 
better than them. 
These men were 
envious of Daniel. 
They were like 
Cain, who was 
envious of Abel ; 
and like Joseph's 
brothers, who were 
envious of Joseph. 

These wicked 
rich men wished to 
hurt Daniel, and to 
get him into disgrace with King Darius : but they did not know 
how to get him into disgrace ; they never saw Daniel do anything 
wrong. I suppose they were afraid of telling the king lies about 




A HUNGRY LION ATTACKING A TRAVELER. 



286 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

him, lest they should be found out. But at last they thought of 
a way to get Daniel into disgrace. 

They knew that he prayed very often to his God ; so they 
went to the king and asked him to make a law, that no one 
should pray to any God or man, but to the king himself, for 
thirty days ; and that if any one did pray to any one else, he should 
be cast into a den of lions. Now the king did not know why these 
men asked him to make this law : if the king had known that 
Daniel always prayed to his God, I do not think he would have 
made it, for the king loved Daniel. 

But he was so foolish as to say that he would do as these 
men wished, because, you know, the king was a heathen, and he 
did not love the true God. So he wrote down the law, and promised 
not to change it. 

Daniel heard of the law that the king had made. 

He would have thought it very dreadful not to pray to God 
for thirty days. He wanted to praise God very often, and ask 
Him to bless him. 

He used always to pray before the open window in his room. 
Perhaps you wonder why he did so. The reason was, he liked to 
look toward the place where he knew Jerusalem was. He could 
not see Jerusalem from his window, because it was so very far off ; 
but still he knew which way it was, and he knew that God loved 
Jerusalem, and that God used to come down into the temple before 
it was burnt : so Daniel liked to look that way when he prayed. 

He knelt down three times every day, and prayed, and thanked 
God for all his kindness to him. 

The men who hated Daniel heard that he went on praying : 
so they went one day and watched him, that they might tell the 
king that they had seen him praying contrary to the law. 

Then they asked the king, " Did you not make a law that 
if any one prayed to any god or man, excepting you, that he should 
be cast into a den of lions ? " 

And the king said, " Yes, it is true, and I cannot change the 
law." 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



287 



Then the men said, u That Daniel, who was brought from 
Jerusalem to be a slave, does not mind you, nor your law, but 
prays three times a-day." Then the king was very sorry that he had 
made a law against 
praying, and tried 
to think of some 
way of not letting 
Daniel be killed : 
but he could think 
of no way. In the 
evening the men 
came to him and 
said, " You cannot 
alter the law that 
you have made, for 
in our country it 
is not permitted 
that the laws may 
be changed." 

Then the king 
desired Daniel to 
be brought, and he 
was cast into a den 
of lions ; the lions 
lived in a deep 
place under- 
ground. Lions are 
always very hun- 
gry in the even- 
ing, and roar for 
their food. 

But Darius 
knew that Daniel's God was a very great God, and he said to 
Daniel, " Your God, whom you serve always, is able to deliver 
you." I think Darius must have heard how God once saved three 




CASTING THE WICKED MEN AND THEIR FAMILIES INTO 
THE LIONS' DEN. 



288 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

men from being burnt in the furnace. A stone was brought, and 
laid upon the top of the den : and the king put his seal on it, 
that none might take away the stone ; and he put on it also the 
seal of the men that hated Daniel. 

Why did the king put his own seal on it ? That he might 
find out if any one came and took Daniel away, for no one else 
had a seal like the king's : so if any one broke the seal, the king 
would find it out. 

The king went to the palace that evening, but he was so 
unhappy that he could not eat, and he would not let his servants 
play music to him as usual, and when he went to bed he could not 
sleep. 

He got up very early in the morning, and went to the den 
of lions. When he came to the den, he cried out in a very sad 
voice, " O Daniel, is thy God, whom thou servest always, able to 
deliver thee from the lions ? " 

The king longed to hear Daniel's voice — and he heard it. 

Daniel said, " O king, live for ever. My God hath sent His 
angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me : 
because I had done nothing wrong. 

Then the king was very glad indeed, and he desired that 
Daniel should be taken up, and he was not the least hurt. 

The king was very angry with those men who had asked him 
to put Daniel in the den, and he commanded them to be thrown 
down into the den, with their wives and their children. It was 
very cruel of the king to have the wives and children put into 
the den, but the wicked men deserved to be put there. The lions 
ate them up in a moment, and broke all their bones before they 
came to the bottom of the den. 

So you see that the lions were very hungry, though they did 
not hurt Daniel. 

Then King Darius wrote a letter, and sent it to all countries, 
and said that he had made a law that every one should fear the God 
of Daniel, because He was the true God, who could do wonders, and 
who had saved Daniel from the lions. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



289 



Story of Esther, the Beautiful Queen. 

I am going to tell you a story of a great danger that befell all 
the Jews in all parts of the kingdom of Persia, and of the wonder- 
ful d e 1 i v e r a 11 c e 
that God wrought 
for them. 

The king who 
was now reigning 
in Persia was called 
Ahasuerus. He 
was a very strange, 
wilful man, as I 
think you will see 
when I tell you 
how he behaved. 

He made a 
great feast in his 
beautiful palace at 
Shushan. It lasted 
six months. Great 
lords came from all 
countries; rich 
men from India, 
the land of ele- 
phants ; black men 
from Africa ; brave 
men from Arabia's 
sandy deserts. The 
court was hung 
with curtains, of 
white, and green, 
and blue, fastened 

with silver rings, to pillars of marble. The guests drank wine out 
of gold and silver cups, and they lav on couches of eold. 
19 




PEOPLE CAME FROM ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD TO 
THE FEAST. 



2 9 o MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

The king's wife was Queen Vashti. She also gave a splendid 
feast to the women of Persia. 

On the last day of these feasts, the king drank a great deal of 
wine. Much wine turns the head, and makes people foolish. A 
foolish wish came into the king's mind. So he said to his seven 
chief servants (called chamberlains), " Bring Vashti, the queen, with, 
the crown upon her head." 

The chamberlains went into the queen's palace, and gave the 
message to the queen. 

But she refused to come. 

Vashti felt that it would be bold and vain to come into the 
gardens, before all the people who were drinking wine. Therefore 
she told the chamberlains that she would not come. 

When the king heard this refusal he was very angry. He was 
accustomed to be obeyed in whatever he said, and it provoked, 
him to think that his own wife would not mind him. 

He called the seven wise men of his kingdom, and asked their 
advice about Vashti. He said to them, " What shall we do to 
Queen Vashti for not having obeyed the king's commandments ? " 
One of the seven wise men, whose name was Memucan, replied, 
" Let the king make a law (which cannot be altered) that Vashti 
come no more to see the king ; but that another and better woman 
be made queen instead." 

So the king sent letters to all countries, showing how Vashti was 
to be punished. 

Then the king's servants said, " Let all the beautiful young girls 
in the kingdom be brought to Shush an, and let the king choose 
which he likes best, that he may make her queen instead of Vashti." 

The king liked this plan, and he sent his chief servants to 
look for these beautiful maidens, and to bring them to his palace. 

Among the servants at the palace was a Jew named Mordecai, 
who took his orphan cousin Esther to his own home as his daughter. 
She was taken with the young maidens to the king's palace, where 
the servants poured oil of myrrh and sweet perfumes over her, as 
was the custom in Persia, and at last after living a whole year in 






MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



291 



the palace, she was brought before the king. As soon as King 
Ahasnerus saw her, he thought he had never seen any one so 
beautiful. He loved her more than all the maidens before him: 
and set the royal 
crown upon her 
head. He made 
another great feast 
and called it 
Esther's feast. He 
set prisoners free 
and gave the serv- 
ants gifts, and all 
the people rejoiced. 
Queen Esther 
loved her people, 
the Jews, and Mor- 
decai hoped more 
than anything else 
in the world, that 
God's chosen people 
should yet live in 
Jerusalem. Esther 
kept secret the fact 
that she was a Jew- 
ess, for Mordecai 
felt that she could 
better persuade the 
king to do his 
people good, if it 
were not known 
that she was one 
of them. Mordecai now sat among the king's servants, in the gate 
of the palace. While sitting there he was able to save the king's life 
in this way. Two of the servants who waited in the palace were 
angry with the king, their master, and made a plan to kill him. 




ESTHER IS BROUGHT TO THE PALACE. 



292 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

These men had charge of the door of the palace, and might have 
pierced the king with a dagger as he went in and out. In some 
way or other, Mordecai found out the horrible crime these men 
meant to commit. 

He sent a message to Queen Esther, begging her to let the 
king know of his danger. Esther told the king all about it, and 
she mentioned Mordecai as the man who had found out the deadly 
plot. The king sent his men to seize the two servants and to 
hang them on a tree ; and it was written down in a book that 
Mordecai had saved the life of the king. 



Story of the Wicked Haman. 

There was a man in the kingdom named Hainan. He belonged 
to the nation of Amalek, that nation of whom the Lord had said, 
in the da3<s of Moses, it is cursed forever. 

This Hainan got into the king's favor, and at last he was 
made the first of all the princes of Persia. He was proud, and 
wished everybody to fall down before him and do him homage. 
This Mordecai would not do, for he was a Jew and believed it 
was wrong to worship any one but God. When Haman learned 
this he was very angry, and he formed a plot to have all the Jews 
destroyed. He went immediately to the king and spoke in a very 
sly, deceitful manner. 

He said, " There is a people scattered over your kingdom who 
do not mind your laws. They will do your kingdom a great deal 
of harm. If it please the king, let a law be written to destroy 
them." 

The king agreed to this, and took off his ring and gave it to 
Haman. On this ring was a seal ; whoever had that seal could 
write what commands he pleased, for when people saw the king's 
seal on the writing they would obey what was commanded. 

As soon as Haman got the king's ring he went to the king's 
writers (called scribes) and told them to write letters to all the 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 293 

rulers in the kingdom, and in these letters to say, " Let all the 
Jews be destroyed, whether young or old, whether women or 
babes." All these letters were sealed with the king's ring. Then 
they were given to men who rode 011 swift horses to take to the 
most distant places in the kingdom. The people in Shushan 
heard the dreadful decree sooner than any one else, and they were 
the first to be filled with sadness and fear. 

When Mordecai heard what was done, he rent his clothes and 
put on sackcloth and ashes, to show how sad and wretched he felt. 

The first that Esther heard of these troubles was from her 
seven maids and seven men-servants, or chamberlains. They told 
her that Mordecai was sitting in sackcloth, weeping and wailing. 

Then Esther was very anxious to know what it was that had 
grieved him. There was one of her chamberlains, named Hatach, 
that she trusted more than the others, and she sent for him and 
told him to go and get Mordecai to tell him all about his grief. 

So Hatach found Mordecai, and told him that Queen Esther 
wanted to know what grieved him. Then Mordecai told him all 
about the king's letters, and that Haman had promised the king 
a great sum of money. But lest Esther should not believe the 
sad history, he sent her a copy of the king's decree that the 
couriers were now taking into all countries. 

Then Mordecai said to Hatach, "Now tell Queen Esther that 
I charge her to go to the king, and to entreat him to save her 
people." 

But Esther felt she could not do this, and she told Hatach 
to go back to Mordecai, and say, "No one is allowed to go into 
the place where the king sits, unless sent for by the king ; if any 
one does come in without being called, he is put to death — even 
a woman, if she comes in, is put to death, except the king holds 
out his golden sceptre to show that she may live ; but as for me, 
the king has not called me for thirty days." 

This message Hatach took to Mordecai, and he sent this reply : 

" If you say nothing to the king about the Jews, they will be 
saved in some w r ay, and you and your relations will be destroyed. 



294 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Who can tell but that you were made queen on purpose to help 
the Jews at this time ? " 

Mordecai was too brave to care for his own life. When he 
refused to bow down before Haman he knew that he risked his 
life, yet he was not afraid ; but he could not bear that his people 
should be punished for his sake. He wanted Esther to be brave 
like himself. 

And so she was, as we shall see. 

When she heard Mordecai's last message, she determined to 
risk her life by entreating the king to spare the Jews. Again she 
sent a message to Mordecai. It was quite unlike the first one. 

It was a command to Mordecai " Get together all the Jews 
that are in Shushan, and fast all of you for me, and neither eat 
nor drink for three days. I and my maids will fast also ; and then 
I will go to the king without leave : if I perish, I perish." 

Esther was now grown very brave. She was ready to die to 
save her people. But she knew that God would soften the king's 
heart, and so she wished Mordecai and all the Jews to pray for 
her while she prayed in the palace with her maids. 

On the third day Esther dressed herself in all her royal robes, 
and went to see the king as he sat on the throne. He looked 
at her and loved her, and stretched out his golden sceptre 
toward her. 

He said, "What is thy request, Queen Esther? It shall be 
given thee, to the half of my kingdom ! " Esther said, "If it please 
the king, I want thee and Haman to come to my banquet." So they 
went to the banquet. Haman boasted to his friends that the king 
had set him above all other men, and that he would hang Mordecai 
on a gallows fifty cubits high. 

At the feast the king asked Esther again what she wished. She 
replied by inviting the king and Haman to a feast again the 
next day. 

Now Hainan had built the gallows fifty cubits high, on which 
he was planning to hang Mordecai. But God was planning to save 
Mordecai and all the Jews. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 295 

God Saves the Jews, and Hainan is Hanged on His Own Gallows. 

That night the king could not sleep. He read over the books, 
giving accounts of things which had happened in his kingdom. 
He found that Mordecai had once saved his life, and he asked, 
a What reward has he received ? " His servants said, " None." 

Hainan came into the court just then, and the king asked him, 
"" What shall be done to the man the king delighteth to honor? " 

Haman thought himself the man, so he said proudly — " Let 
him wear the king's robes and his crown, and let him ride upon 
the king's horse ; let a noble prince lead the horse through the 
streets of the city, and cry to all the people — ' Thus shall it be 
done to the man whom the king delighteth to honor.' " Then the 
king said, " Make haste and do as thou hast said to Mordecai, the 
Jew." 

Haman was afraid to disobey the king, and he dressed Mordecai 
in the royal robes, and set him upon the king's horse, and led him 
through the streets, as the king had directed. 

Then Haman went to his home mourning. That afternoon at 
the feast, he did not venture to say a word against Mordecai. 

Little did he think what was going to be said about him. At 
last the king said to the queen, " What is thy request ? and it shall 
be granted, even to the half of my kingdom." 

The queen replied, "If I have found favor in thy sight, O 
king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, 
and my people at my request ; for we are sold, I and my people, to be 
slain." 

" If we had been sold as slaves, I would have said nothing, 
although it would have done great harm to the king." 

Esther knew that Haman had promised the king money to make 
up for his killing the Jews ; therefore she said, " We are sold." 

The king was very angry when he heard any one had tried to 
hurt the queen's people : for he knew now that she was a Jewess, and 
he cried out, " Who is he that was so daring as to think of such a 
thing ? " 



296 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Then Esther said, — u The enemy is this wicked Haman." 

Now Haman saw that he was found out, and he pleaded for 
his life. 

But the king was determined to have him killed. One of the 
servants told the king of the high gallows ; so the king said, 
" Hang Haman thereon." So Haman was hanged on the gallows 
he had built for Mordecai. 

Queen Esther asked the king to save her life, and the lives 
of the Jews, her people. She asked with tears and very humbly. 
The king touched her with the golden sceptre, and granted her 
request. 

Another writing was made and sealed with the king's ring 
and Mordecai sent copies, by messengers on camels, mules, drome- 
daries and horses, all over the kingdom. And when he came out 
from the palace, he was clothed in royal garments like the king ; 
with a crown of gold on his head. The Jews were filled with joy, 
and gained the victory over their enemies. And Esther and 
Mordecai rejoiced that their God had delivered His people. They 
wrote letters, telling all the Jews to be sure and keep the feast 
of Purim every year for all time. 

The book of Esther teaches us much about God. We learn 
in it how, when God's people are in the greatest difficulty and 
danger, He can deliver them ; and we see how the hearts of kings 
are in His hands. He can incline their hearts and make them 
wish to take care of His people instead of hurting them. 



Cyrus the Great King. 

I told you how unhappy the poor Israelites were in Babylon. 
They wished very much to return to their own country, Canaan, 
but the kings of Babylon would not let them go back. However, 
God had made a promise, a long while before, that He would let 
them return some day. 

Now, there was another king in Babylon besides Darius. 
This king's name was Cyrus. God put it in the heart of Cyrus 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



297 



to let the poor Israelites return to their own country. For God 
remembered His promise. 

Cyrus had been taught to worship idols, yet he believed that 
Daniel's God was the true God : and he was ready to mind what 
the true God said. 

So Cyrus told 
the Israelites that 
they might go 
back to their own 
country, and build 
the temple at 
Jerusalem. 

Cyrus gave 
back to them all 
the gold and silver 
things that Ne- 
buchadnezzar had 
taken out of the 
temple, — dishes, 
and basins, and 
cups of gold and 
silver. 

Many of the 
people in Babylon 
gave the Israelites 
presents before 
they went away : 
horses, camels, 
and asses, to carry 
their things. 

How happy the 
place as Babylon ! 




THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS. 



poor Israelites were to leave such a wicked 
But oh! when they had come to Jerusalem, 
how sad to see the walls broken down, and many of the houses 



293 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

burnt ! but still the Israelites were very thankful to God for letting 
them come there again. 

When they were come to Jerusalem they set up the altar, 
and offered a great many beasts on it, to show how grateful they 
were. 

They wished to build the temple as soon as they could, and 
they got a great many carpenters and masons, and they sent for 
beautiful trees to help build it with. 

At last they laid the first stone of the temple upon the high 
hill in Jerusalem. A great many Israelites came together to see 
the first stone laid. The priests stood near, dressed in white, with 
trumpets, and the singers played music, and sang psalms, saying, 
" The Lord is good, and His mercy endureth forever." 

And when the first stone was laid, the priests blew the 
trumpets, and the singers sang psalms, and the people shouted 
for joy. 

There were some old people there, who remembered having 
seen the temple before it was burnt, a long while ago, when they 
were little children ; and when the other people shouted, these old 
people wept very loud, because the people had been wicked. 
Perhaps the old men were grieved because the people had been 
so ungrateful to God. The noise of the weeping and the shouting 
could be heard a great way off. 

The people of Israel were a great many years building the 
temple. This temple was not so beautiful as the one Solomon 
had built, and God did not come down in a cloud, and fill it. 

You will be glad to hear that the Israelites determined to 
worship idols no more. But though they did not worship idols, 
they did not love God with all their hearts ; so they did a great 
many other wicked things. There were a few of them who really 
loved God. 

The Israelites lived in Jerusalem and in the land of Canaan 
a great many years. They were now called Jews instead of 
Israelites. God sent them prophets sometimes to teach them, and 
to put them in mind of a promise that He had made to Abraham, 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



299 



that a Saviour should one day be born, who should be their King 
forever. God had made the same promise to David, and had said 
that this Saviour should be one of his descendants. Some of the 
Israelites, or Jews, thought very often of this promise, and longed 
for the Saviour to be born into the world. They knew that He 
would be born in Bethlehem, where David was born, because one 
of the prophets had said that He should be born in Bethlehem, 
and they knew that His mother would be some person of the 
family of David, because the prophets had said so ; and they knew 
that He would be the King of the Jews, and of all people — for 
the prophets had said so. 




REBUILDING JERUSALEM. 




(30o) 



OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. 



PART TWO. 



The New Testament. 



Zacharias and His Wife Elisabeth. 

And now I will tell you the wonderful 

story of Jesus, the Saviour, and how He came 

down from heaven and taught all people how to 

be good. I will also tell you how He loved little 

children, and was kind and gentle to them, and 

said that they should inherit His kingdom in 

heaven. 

I will begin by telling you about a very 

good man named Zach-a-ri-as. 

He was a priest. 

He served God in His temple. He never 

went into the Holy of Holies, for he was not 

the High Priest. Sometimes he burnt incense 

on the golden altar inside the temple. 

There were a great many priests. Some 

of them lived in the country. These priests came up by turns to 

Jerusalem to stay a week, and serve in the temple. 

Zacharias had a wife named E-lis-a-beth. Both Zacharias and 

Elisabeth were very old and very good. But they had no child. 

They had often prayed for a child, but God had never given them 

one. 

(301) 




THE STAR 

OF BETHLKHKM. 



302 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

The Jews thought it a disgrace to have no children. They 
thought it was a sign that God was displeased. But God was 
very much pleased with Zacharias and Elisabeth, though He had 
given them no little children. 

Once Zacharias went up to Jerusalem to serve at the temple 
for a week. 

Quite early in the morning he went to the temple. He drew 
lots with the other priests to know who was to burn incense that 
morning in the temple. 

Zacharias drew the lot, and he went alone into the temple. 

While the old priest was kneeling before the golden altar, he 
beheld a wonderful sight. 

At the right side of the altar stood an angel, and Zacharias was 
greatly frightened when he saw him. 

But the angel spoke kindly to him. " Fear not, Zacharias I 
Thy prayer is heard ; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a. 
son, and thou shalt call his name John ; and many of the children 
of Israel shall he turn unto the Lord their God." 

The child promised to Zacharias was to have a good heart and 
be a great teacher, and turn people's hearts to God. He would be 
like Elijah. 

But Zacharias doubted what the angel had told him. Then 
the angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of 
God. And because you have not believed my words, you shall be 
dumb, till what I have said has come to pass." 

So Zacharias was struck dumb ; and he was deaf also. 

The angel went back to God; and Zacharias came out of the 
temple. 

All the people were wondering what kept him so long. He 
could not tell. them in words, but he made signs with his hands 
to show them that an angel had spoken to him, and that he was 
dumb. 

At the end of the week he went back to his own house in 
the country. He lived amongst the hills near Hebron. He was 
able to tell his wife what had happened, for he could write an. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 303 

account of it for her to read. How he must have wished that he 
had believed at first. 



Mary the Mother of Jesus. 

Six months after Gabriel had spoken to Zacharias, God sent 
him to another person. She was the cousin of Elisabeth, and her 
name was Mary. 

Mary lived a great way from Jerusalem. She lived in Naz-a- 
reth, a little town on the side of a pleasant, flowery hill. 

She had promised to marry a very good man named Joseph ; 
but she was not married when the angel came to her. 

The angel said, " Hail" (or Be glad). " Thou art highly 
favored. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women ! n 

These were sweeter words than Gabriel had spoken to Zacha- 
rias. Was not Mary pleased to hear that God was going to make 
her very happy ? 

Mary was timid, and did not understand what the angel had 
said to her ; so he told her over again. 

Then he gave her his wonderful message. 

He told her that a son should be born to her, and that she 
should call His name Jesus, and that He should be the Son of 
God and a great King. 

Mary believed all the angel said. 

•Before Gabriel went away, he told her that a son would also 
be given to her cousin Elisabeth in her old age. 

After the angel was gone away, Mary went hastily to visit 
her cousin Elisabeth. She had more than a hundred miles to go. 
I do not know who went with her. She was not yet married, or 
Joseph would have gone with her to take care of her. 

Mary came at last to some beautiful green hills, among gar- 
dens of grapes, and dates, and figs. The hill country was near 
Hebron. She had traveled very quickly, for she was very anxious 
to see Elisabeth. 




(3<>4> 



BLESSING THE HOLY CHILD. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 305 

When she reached the house, she saw Elisabeth and spoke 
to her. 

As soon as Elisabeth heard her voice, she began to speak, 
and the Holy Ghost taught her what to say. 

" Blessed art thou among women ! How is it that the mother 
of my Lord should come to me ? " 

Then Alary saw that Elisabeth knew about the babe that was 
promised to her, and she also spoke by the Holy Ghost the lovely 
song beginning — 

" My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced 
in God my Saviour. For He hath regarded the low estate of His 
hand-maiden." 

How humble Mary was ! She spoke of herself as being low. 

She did not think herself great or good, though she was to 
be the mother of the Son of God. 



Birth of John the Baptist. 

Mar}' paid a long visit to her cousin Elisabeth. She stayed 
three months in the house among the hills. All that time Zacha- 
rias could not speak a word to Mary, nor hear a word she said. 

But Alary had many sweet conversations with Elisabeth. 

Though one was young, and the other old, they dearly loved 
one another. Elisabeth knew that her babe would not be as glorious 
as Mary's. 

John would be a sinner, though he would have the Holy 
Spirit : but Jesus would be without sin, the spotless Lamb of 
God. 

At the end of three months Mary went back to her own home 
in Nazareth. 

Soon afterward John was born, and all of Elisabeth's friends 
and relations were very glad when they heard of the birth of the 
child. 



306 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



When the babe was eight days old, it was to be circumcised , 
according to the Jewish law. Circumcision was a ceremony similar 
in meaning to baptism. 

This was also the time to give the child a name. 




THE ANGEX APPEARS 



The friends said, " Let him be called Zacharias, after his father." 

"No," said Elisabeth, " he shall be called John," for she knew 

what the angel had said. The friends said, " Why should he be 

called John? None of your relations are called by that name." 

All this time Zacharias could neither hear nor speak. But the 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



307 



friends made signs to him to name the babe. So he called for a 
writing-book (or tablet). 

Zacharias wrote these words, " His name is John." Every one 
was surprised at his choosing the name Elisabeth had mentioned. 

But they were much more astonished when he began again 
to speak. All that the angel had said had now happened, and 
so Zacharias was no more dumb. He praised God for the Saviour 
who was soon to come, and all he said was by the Holy Ghost. 
He looked at his own little babe, and said, " Thou, child, shalt 
be called the prophet of the Highest." 

Every one expected John to be a wonderful child ; and so he 
was, for the Holy Spirit was in him, and God was with him to 
bless him and to teach him. When he grew older, he liked to 
wander alone in the wilderness, and to think of heavenly things. 




THE AXGELS AND THE 
SHEPHERDS. 



Jesus is Born in Bethlehem in a Manger. 

Mary returned to Nazareth after visit- 
ing Elisabeth. 

Soon she had to make another long 
journey. 

Joseph and Mary set out together on 
this journey, for they were now married. 
They went to a city called Bethlehem. 

They went there to have their names 
written down, for a great king, named 
Caesar, had commanded all people to go to 
their fathers' cities to write down their 
names, that they might afterward pay him 
tax. 

Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem, 
because it had been the city of their father 
David, a long, long while ago. They were 
of the tribe of Judah. When they arrived 
at Bethlehem, they went to the inn, but 



3 o8 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

there was no room for them in the inn, so they went into the 
stable, among the oxen. And in this humble place the little child 
was born. 

Mary had clothes ready for it, and she wrapped her child in 
these long clothes. 

But she had no cradle, and she laid him in the manger. No 
one in that stable knew what a glorious babe was laid in the 
manger. 

Yet there were some shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem 
who knew that He was glorious. 

While they were watching over their sheep that night an 
angel came. 

A great light shone around them and they were much afraid. 

The angel said, " Fear not, I bring you good news of great 
joy to all people." 

A Saviour is born in Bethlehem. 

The angel told the shepherds where the Saviour was : " He 
is wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." 

Soon the light grew brighter, for a multitude of angels were 
seen praising God in the sky. 

This was their heavenly song: 

Glory to God in the highest, 
On earth Peace, 
Good-will toward men. 

When the song was over, the angels went back to heaven, and 
the place was dark as before. 

The shepherds said one to another, " Let us go to Bethlehem, 
and look for this babe." 

They went quickly, and inquired for a babe in a manger, and 
they found it with Mary and Joseph close beside it. 

With what love they looked at that babe. They knew He 
was the Son of God. They told Mary that angels had spoken to 
them in the field. 

When they left the stable they told everybody what had 
happened in the night. Every one wondered when they heard 




ANGELS APPEAR TO THE SHEPHERDS. 



(309) 



3io MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

about the angels ; but all did not remember what they heard. 
Mary went on thinking about these wonderful things as she held 
her dear little babe in her loving arms. 



Simeon and Anna the Prophetess. 

When the babe was nearly six weeks old, He was taken to 
Jerusalem, seven miles away, because God had made a law that every 
woman should bring her first born son to the temple, to present him 
to the Lord. 

She also brought a sacrifice of two doves to offer with her babe. 
If she had been rich she would have brought a lamb as a sacrifice; 
but as she was very poor, she brought only two doves, as they cost 
very little money. In her arms she held a sweeter dove, — even her 
pure and spotless babe. He was her first-born child, and He was 
now presented to the Lord. 

As Mary was standing with Joseph in the court of the 
temple, giving her offering to the priest, on old man came up to 
her. His name was Simeon. He was longing to see the Saviour. 
God had once promised him that he should see the Saviour before 
he died. 

Just before he came in, the Spirit told him that Jesus was now 
in the temple. 

Great was his joy when he beheld the babe. He took Him 
in bis arms, and blessed God, and said, " Now Thou wilt let Thy 
servant depart in peace, since I have seen the Saviour." 

Then he blessed Joseph and Mary. 

He told Mary that grief would pierce her heart like a sword. 
She must have thought of this — long afterward — when she stood by 
the cross of her beloved Son. 

Whilst Simeon was speaking, more people came in to see the 
babe. Amongst them was a very old woman named Anna. She 
must have been more than a hundred. She was a prophetess, and 
she knew that Jesus was the Saviour. She thanked God for having 
sent Him. 




THE WISE MEN WORSHIP JESUS. 



(3HJ 



3 i2 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Story of the Wise Men of the East. 

A very long way from Jerusalem some wise men lived. These 
men were not Jews. They were Gentiles. In their land people 
worshiped idols ; but these wise men had turned to the true God. 

These men often looked at the stars, and they knew the names 
of many of them. 

One night they saw a strange star they had never seen before. 

It was on the night that Jesus was born in the stable that they 
saw the star ; but they knew nothing about the babe in the stable. 

God told them that a king was born in the land of the Jews 
— just where the star was shining. 

So these wise men set out on a long journey to that land. They 
were rich enough to have camels to ride upon. They took many 
precious things with them to give to the new-born King. 

They traveled a long way. They could not see the star as the}r 
were going along, but they knew where they had once seen it, and 
they went toward the place. 

They came at last to Jerusalem, the great city of the Jews. 
They did not know whether the babe was there, so they went about 
the streets asking, " Where is He who is born King of the Jews ? " 

There was an old king in Jerusalem called Herod. He was a 
very wicked man. He was proud, cruel, passionate and ungodly. 

When he heard of the new king he was frightened, and so were 
all his great lords ; for they thought the new-born child would make 
Himself king ; and Herod decided to kill Him. 

So he sent for the priests, and said to them, " Where will the 
King be born whom God will send?" 

The priests said, "It is written in the Bible, he will be born in 
Bethlehem." 

They showed him the place in the prophet Micah, v. 2 : u O 
Bethlehem, out of thee shall He come forth who is to be Ruler 
in Israel." 

The verse showed that Jesus, who was to be King, would be 
born in Bethlehem. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 313 

Herod could now tell the wise men where the King of the 
Jews was born. But he wanted to know when He was born. He 
thought the wise men could tell him when this king was to be 
born. So he sent for the wise men and asked them secretly, 
" When did you first see the star?" 

They told him it was about a year ago. 

Then Herod thought to himself, "The child is a year old." 

Then he said to the wise men in a voice that seemed kind, 
" Go and look for Him in Bethlehem, and when you have found 
Him come back and tell me, that I may go and worship Him." 

What a dreadful lie Herod spoke when he said this ! 

The wise men thought Herod loved this new King ; and they 
meant to come back and tell him : for they did not know that 
Herod was a liar — as well as a murderer. 

So the wise men went toward Bethlehem, about seven miles 
off, seeking the child. 

But they had not to ask in the streets of Bethlehem where 
thev should find Him, for they looked up and saw the star they 
had not seen for a long while. 

Oh, how glad they were when they saw that star once more ! 

The star went before them to show them the way ; and soon 
it stopped over a place in Bethlehem, not the stable, but another 
place. 

What great joy they felt when they opened the door of Joseph's 
cottage, and saw the babe from heaven in His mother's arms ! 
They bowed down before Him and worshiped Him. 

Then they opened their packages, and took out their beautiful 
presents — precious gold and sweet-smelling myrrh and frankincense, 
and gave them to the child. 

These presents showed the love they felt in their hearts for 
Jesus. 




M 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 315 

Herod Sends His Soldiers to Kill the Little Boys who Lived 

in Bethlehem. 

The wise men meant to return to Jerusalem and tell Herod 
they had found the child. 

But the}' slept at Bethlehem ; and in their sleep they had a 
dream. Probably each of them had the same dream. 

In the dream they heard a voice saying: "Do not go back to 
Jerusalem to tell Herod you have found the child." 

So the wise men went back by another way to their own 
country. They went back happy for ever, because they had seen 
the Saviour. 

But Herod was very unhappy. He waited for the wise men 
to return to Jerusalem, until at last he heard that they were gone 
home to their own land — far away — where he could not reach them. 

Then he was very angry. He did not know how to find which 
babe was the King ; so he said he would kill all the babes in 
Bethlehem : then he thought he should be sure to kill the right 
one. 

But God would not let him kill Jesus, so one night while 
Joseph was sleeping he saw an angel, and he heard him say, 
" Get up and take the young child and His mother, and go 
quickly into Egypt ; and stay there till I tell you to come back, 
for Herod will try to kill the young child." 

That moment Joseph got up, and though it was night, he 
took away Mary and her babe. 

Xo one knew that Joseph had gone away, till the morning 
came, and then no one could find out where he had taken the 
child and His mother. 

Soon afterward Herod's soldiers rushed into Bethlehem, snatch- 
ing all the babies from their mothers' arms, and killing them 
with swords. 

Oh, what screams of children were heard that day, and what 
shrieks of mothers ! 

But yet Jesus was not killed. He was safe in Egypt. 




Lv6) 



THE CHILDHOOD OF JESUS. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



3 1 ? 



The cruel king died of a frightful disease soon after this 
murder of the innocent babes, and the worms ate his body. 

When Herod was dead, Joseph had another dream in the land 
of Egypt, where 
he had taken 
Mary and the 
child. 

An angel said 
to him, " Return 
into the land of 
Israel, for Herod is 
dead, and all the 
men that wished 
to kill the 3'oung 
child are dead 
also." 

So Joseph set 
out on another 
long journey with 
the child and His 
mother. He must 
have been glad to 
leave Egypt, that 
land of idols. He 
wished to live near 
Jerusalem, where 
the temple of God 
was ; but he heard 
that Herod's son 
was king, and this 
made him afraid. 

Joseph did not know where to go 
when an angel told him what to do. 

Then he went with the child and 
Nazareth. 




DEATH OF HEROD. 



till he had another dream 



His mother to live at 



3 i8 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

That was the place where Mary had lived before her marriage,, 
and here the little child grew to be a man. 

Joseph worked as a carpenter for his living ; and Jesns must 
have often watched him at his work, and helped to saw the wood, 
and hammer the nails. Of wood His cross was to be made, and 
nails were to pierce His blessed hands and feet some day. 



Jesus Talks With the Priests in the Temple. 

When Jesus was twelve years old He went with Joseph and 
Mary to the feast of the Passover at Jerusalem. 

The journey was long, for Nazareth was eighty miles from 
Jerusalem. A great many neighbors went up together. It must 
have been pleasant in the early spring to see the fresh green 
grass under the feet, and the blossoms on the trees, and the open- 
ing flowers ; and to hear the singing of the birds and the cooing- 
of the doves. 

After staying seven days at Jerusalem, all the people returned 
to their homes. 

Joseph and Mary set out ; but Jesus was not with them. They 
thought He was with some of their friends who were going back to 
Nazareth ; so they went on without looking for Him. But when 
evening came, they said, " Where can Jesus be ? " 

They went about inquiring among all their friends, saying, 
" Have you seen our son ? " Every one said, " No, we have not seen 
Him to-day." 

Then Joseph and Mary felt very uneasy. They could not go 
on their journey without Him, as He was their treasure and the 
light of their lives. 

So they turned back. 

They had to go twenty miles before they reached Jerusalem. 
Then they went about, looking for their beloved one. 

At last they remembered that there was a great hall near the 
temple where children were taught by the priests. They went 
to the temple : they entered the great room ; and there they saw 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



3*9 



their lost child sitting amongst other children, listening to the 
priests and answering their questions. Every one in the room 
was wondering at the wise answers He gave and the wise questions 
He asked. 

Mary was surprised that He had stayed behind without telling 
her ; for He was a very obedient child, and never did anything 
without leave. She said to Him : " Son, why have you behaved to 




OX THE WAY TO JERUSALEM. 

And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom 
of the feast. — St. Luke ii: 42. 

lis in this way ? Your father and I have been looking for you 
three days. We have been so worried ! " 

Jesus answered : " Why did you look for Me ? Did you not 
know I must be about My Father's business ? " 

Jesus meant His Father in heaven, and not Joseph. 

His mother did not know what He meant by His Father's 
business, nor did Joseph understand, but Mary never forgot what He 
had said. 



3 2o MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

He went back with Joseph and His mother, and continued to live 
with and obey them as He had always done. He lived at Nazareth 
till He grew to be a man. 

He was so good and amiable that everybody loved Him. No one 
could see a fault in Him for He had no sin. 



John the Baptist Preaches in the Desert. 

John was six months older than Jesus, and he began to preach 
first. 

He had walked much in the desert, and when he was thirty years 
old he began to preach there. 

He was not like other men in his ways. He did not dress like 
them. He wore a garment of coarse cloth made of camel's hair, with 
a leathern band or girdle round his waist. 

He did not eat as other men, but he ate the food he found in 
the desert, which was locusts and wild honey. Locusts are like 
grasshoppers, only a little larger. 

They were about the size of your thumb. They lived upon the 
leaves and the grass, and people in that country used them for food. 
John could easily make a fire with sticks, and broil the locusts on the 
hot ashes. 

Honey was very plentiful in the trees and rocks, and was very 
pure and sweet, for the bees made it from the flowers of the desert. 

Many people heard of John's strange food and dress. They 
wanted to see him, and when they knew he preached, they came to 
hear him. Thousands of people came. 

He preached repentence. His first word was " Repent ! " 

He wanted people to leave their sins, and to turn to God. 

This is what the angel had said he would do. 

And then he told them that the Saviour was coming. 

Those that repented, John baptized in the Jordan. He washed 
them with water, as a sign that God would wash away their sins. 

But what John longed for most, was to see the Son of God. 
He had been told by God that His Son would come to be 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



321 



baptized ; and 
upon Him. 



' si 






V- 






life I 

■ — ^ \ I sx v 1/9 , r^ vs f>- 



ft* 



that when He did come, the Holy Spirit would rest 

At last Jesus came, but John felt that he was 
not good enough to baptize Him. He knew that 
Jesus was very good, and did not 
need to be washed from sin. 

While Jesus was in the water, 
He prayed to His Father, — and then 
a wonderful thing happened. 

The heavens were opened, and 
the Hoi}- Spirit came down like a 
dove, and rested upon Jesus ; and a 
voice was heard from heaven, saying, 

" This is My beloved Son, in 
whom I am well pleased!" 

Then John remembered what 
God had once told him ; and he now 
was sure that Jesus was the Son 
of God. 



Jesus was 
all this time 



Satan Tempts Jesus in the 
Wilderness. 

When Jesus had been baptized, 
He left the River Jordan, and went 
into the wilderness to a different 
place from where John was preach- 
ing, to a place where He was quite 
alone. There were no living crea- 
tures with Him — but the wild beasts. 
Their howling might be heard in the 
night. But no lion, nor bear, nor wolf, was allowed 
to come near Him to hurt Him. 
in the wilderness forty days and nights, and during 
he ate nothing. He did not eat locusts and wild 



21 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



323 



honey like John ; but God, His Father, kept Him alive without 
eating. 

After living without food for forty days, Jesus felt very hungry. 

Then Satan came and said, — " If Thou be the Son of God, 
command that these stones be made bread." 

But Jesus told Satan, that it was written in the Bible that 
man could live 
without bread, if 
God spoke the 
word. 

Then Satan 
took Jesus to a 
very high place, 
on the top of the 
temple. 

The temple 
was built on a very 
high, steep hill, 
and it was terrible 
to look down to the 
bottom. 

Satan said to 
Jesus, — 

"If Thou be 
the Son of God, 
throw Thyself 
down from this 
place; for God has promised to make His angels take care of Thee! " 

This was true ; but Jesus knew that it would be tempting His 
Father if He threw Himself down from that high place. 

So He answered, — 

" It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." 

But Satan tried once more to make Jesus sin. 

This time he took Him to the top of a very high mountain, 
and he showed Him all the grandest things in the world. We do 




THE ANGELS SERVE JESUS. 



324 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

not know what things he showed Him ; bnt whatever we can think 
of that is grand, fine, or beantifnl — these things Jesus saw. Thrones 
and crowns, ships and armies, palaces and temples, delicious feasts 
and glittering robes — such things Jesus saw. 

Then he said to Jesus,- — 

" If Thou wilt fall down and worship me, I will give Thee 
all these things ; for they are all mine ! " 

Was that true ? 

No. Everything belongs to God. Satan is a liar. 

Jesus replied, " It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy 
God, and Him only shalt thou serve." 

Then Satan found it was of no use trying to make Jesus sin. 

So he left Him. 

When he was gone, the angels brought food to Jesus. 

Oh, how they must have hastened to feed Him ! How dearly 
they loved Him ! How glad they were to bring Him bread, or 
honey, or butter, or wine, or milk, or whatever food God pleased 
to send to His Son ! 

Those angels had served Him in heaven when He sat on His 
Father's glorious throne ; and now they served Him on earth, when 
He was weak, and weary, and sorrowful. 



The Disciples of Jesus. 

John went on preaching in the wilderness. Some people thought 
that he was the Saviour that God had promised. They came to him 
one day and said, " Tell us plainly, — art thou the Christ ? " 

John said, " No, I am not. I am not worthy to stoop down 
and unloose the latchet of His shoe." Then John told them of the 
true Saviour, and of the Holy Spirit coming down on Him like 
a dove. 

There were some men who always followed John that they 
might hear his words. These men were called his disciples. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 325 

One day John was standing in the wilderness with two of his 
disciples, and he saw Jesns walking a little way off. He showed 
Him to his disciples and said, 

" Behold the Lamb of God ! " 

Why did he call Jesns a Lamb ? 

Because He was to be offered up as a sacrifice for our sins, 
just as lambs were offered up ; only He was not to be burned, but 
crucified. 

The two disciples, who heard John speak, went after Jesus, 
and walked behind Him. 

Soon Jesus turned round and looked at them and said, — " What 
do you want ? " 

They answered, "Master, where do you live?" 

Jesus replied, " Come and see." 

Oh, how glad these men were to be invited to go home with 
Jesus. 

One of them was named Andrew. The name of the other 
is not mentioned, but we believe it was John — the most beloved 
disciple. 

Jesus had no house of His own ; He had nothing of His own 
but His clothes. He lodged in a house. 

The two men spent the evening with Jesus. It was four 
o'clock when they came to his lodging. They spent the whole 
evening with Him, and then they went away. What a delightful 
evening it must have been, for no one ever spoke so sweetly as Jesus 
did ! These men never forgot that evening. 

Andrew had a brother that he loved very much. His name was 
Simon. 

Andrew and Simon were fishermen, and lived in a town near the 
great lake in Galilee. 

Andrew went to look for his brother Simon, that he might tell 
him about Jesus. 

He said to him, " We have found the Christ ! " 

Then he asked his brother to come with him to see Jesus. 
Simon went with Andrew. 




(326j 



JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 327 

Jesus saw him coming; and He said, " Thou art Simon, and thou 
shalt be called Peter." 

Simon was quite surprised at Jesus knowing his name when 
he first saw him. 

Why did Jesus give him this new name ? 

It was because the name Peter has a meaning. Peter means 
u Stone." 

A stone is firm and strong. A large stone cannot be easily 
moved, or shaken, or broken. And Simon was to be faithful and 
firm and strong in loving Jesus. Jesus knew this, and gave him 
the new name of Peter. 



How Nathanael Became a Disciple of Jesus. 

The two brothers — Andrew and Simon, had come up all the way 
from Galilee. The great lake in which the} r fished was in Galilee. 

There was another man who had come from the same place. 
His name was Philip. 

He was not brought to Jesus by his friends ; he was found by 
Jesus Himself. 

The day after Jesus had seen Simon, He went to look for Philip. 
He said to him, " Follow Me." 

That was enough for Philip. He went after Jesus immediately, 
with Simon and xAndrew and John. He became a faithful disciple. 

Philip had a friend named Nathanael. He went to look for him, 
and when he had found him, he said, " We have found the man about 
whom so much is written in the Bible. His name is Jesus of Naza- 
reth. He is the son of Joseph." 

Nathaniel knew that Nazareth was a wicked town ; and he was 
surprised that any great prophet should come out of such a place. 

He said, " Can any good thing come out of Nazareth ? " 

Philip replied, " Come and see." 

So these two friends came together to Jesus, just as once the two 
brothers had come together. 



328 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIE . 

Jesus saw them corning. He knew Nathanael, and spoke of him 
to the others. 

He said, " Behold an Israelite who has no guile." Guile means 
deceit. 

Jesus called Nathanael a man who had no deceit, a truthful, 
open, sincere man. 

This was great praise. 

Nathanael had never seen Jesus before, and he cried out, " How 
is it that you know me ? " 

Jesus said, " Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the 
fig-tree, I saw thee." 

Nathanael had been hidden under a fig-tree, where no eye could 
see him but God's eye. 

He now felt sure that Jesus was God, or He could not have seen 
him under the fig tree ; so he cried out, — 

" Master, Thou art the Son of God ! Thou art the King of 
Israel ! " 

Then Jesus told Nathanael that he should one day see the angels 
going up and coming down upon the Son of man. 

Nathanael did see these angels a long while after, when Jesus 
went up to heaven. He saw angels go up and come down from 
heaven. 

Jesus now had five disciples : — 

Andrew and Simon, John, Philip, and Nathanael. 

They all went with Him to Galilee, where they lived. They 
were poor men, who caught fish in the Sea of Galilee. They were 
happy to have Jesus for their Friend and Master. 



The Miracle at the Wedding Feast. 

When Jesus was in Galilee, near the great lake, He did His first 
miracle. He turned water into wine at a marriage feast. 

He did this miracle at a place called Cana. That was the 
town that Nathanael came from. 

Cana was very near Nazareth. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



329 



Jesus was invited to a marriage at Cana. His disciples went 
with Him, and when they saw Him turn water into wine, they 
believed on Him more than they had done before. 

Afterward 
Jesus went up 
again to Jerusa- 
lem, to keep the 
Passover. In that 
cit}^ He did a great 
many miracles, 
and a great many 
people believed on 
Him. 

It was the 
poor people who 
believed on Jesus. 

Most rich peo- 
ple despised Him. 

But there was 
one rich man who 
did not despise 
Jesus, and who 
wanted to hear 
Him speak. 

His name was 
Nic-o-de-mus. 

He did not 
like that people 
should see him go 
to Jesus ; so he 
went in the night. 

He thought that people would not see him go into the lodging 
where Jesus was. 

He went in and found Jesus in a room. 

He spoke to Him with great respect, saying, " Master, we 




THE MIRACLE AT CANA OF GAULEE. 



330 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

know that you are come from God, for no one could do such 
miracles as you do, except God were with him." 

Nicodemus thought that Jesus was a great teacher, but he did 
not know that He was the Son of God. 

Jesus answered, — 

" Verily (or truly), except a man be born again he cannot see the 
kingdom of God" 

Nicodemus was very much surprised, and said, — 

u How can a man be born again ? Can he be a little child once 
more ? " 

Then Jesus told him he must be born of the Spirit. 

But Nicodemus did not understand what Jesus meant by being 
born of the Spirit. He could not see the Spirit, so he thought it 
never came into people's hearts. But when a man is born of the 
Spirit, then he feels it in his heart. 

Do you know, my dear child, that you must be born of the 
Spirit ? 

The Spirit can come into your heart and make you a new child. 
Then you will love God for giving His Son to die for you. 

Jesus told Nicodemus how God had sent Him to save sinners. 
He said, — 

" God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, 
that whosoever believeth in Him should not die, but have everlasting 
life." 

Nicodemus soon believed, and was born of the Spirit, and then he 
felt it in his heart. 

Then he loved Jesus, and he did not mind people seeing him 
come to Him. 



Story of the Woman of Samaria. 

Jesus soon left Jerusalem. He set out with His disciples to 
return to Galilee. 

He passed through Samaria on his way. 

One day He was very tired, and He sat by a well to rest. It 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 331 

was twelve o'clock, and the sun was very hot. The disciples wanted 
food, and they went to buy some in the town of Sychar, about a 
mile off. While they were gone Jesus rested. He liked to be alone, 
for He loved to pray. 

He was thirsty, but He could not get water from the well, 
because He had no bucket. 

Soon a woman came with a can or jug to draw water. This 
woman was not a Jewess. She was a woman of Samaria. The 
people of Samaria, though they lived in God's land, were not His 
people. They had been put there b}^ the. King of Assyria. They 
were chiefly Ass\ T rians, and the}^ knew very little about the true 
God. They hated the Jews, and the Jews hated them. This was 
very wrong, indeed. This woman did not like Jesus when she 
saw Him at the well, because she saw He was a Jew. But Jesus 
loved her and longed to save her soul. 

He spoke to her first, and asked her to give Him some water. 

She was surprised, and answered, " How is it that you, who 
are a Jew, ask water of me, who am a woman of Samaria?" 

Jesus was not angry at her unkind answer, but softly said, — 

" If you had asked Me to give you water, I would have given 
you living water." 

The woman could not think how He could get any water. 
" Sir," she said, " the well is deep, and you have nothing to get 
water with. How do you get this living water ? " 

The woman did not know what water Jesus meant by "living 
water," nor did He tell her. He meant the water of life. 

This woman had been very wicked. But what did she feel 
when He told her that He Himself was the Christ, whom God 
had sent into the world ? 

The disciples then came back from the city, with food in their 
hands, such as bread, fruit, fish, or honey, and they wondered at 
seeing Jesus talking to the woman. 

The woman left her can b}^ the well, so the disciples could 
easily get water. 

Jesus might now have had a comfortable dinner with His 



332 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIFS. 

disciples. But He would not eat, and when they said, " Master 
eat," He replied, " I have food to eat you do not know of." 

They thought that some one had brought Hirn food, but He 
told them He was thinking of his Father's work — saving sinners, 
like this poor woman and her friends. This was the Father's 
work that was like food to Jesus. 

The woman told the men of the city that Christ, whom God 
had sent, was sitting by the well. And the men went to the well 
and begged Jesus to come to their city. 

So Jesus went to Sychar, and he stayed there two days teach- 
ing the poor Samaritans. 

Man}^ believed on Him, and said, " Now we believe ; not 
because you told us, for we have heard Him ourselves, and know 
that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world." 



The Men of Nazareth Try to Kill Jesus. 

When Jesus returned to Nazareth He was not well treated as 
He had been at Sychar. 

He had a long journey to go before reaching the home of 
His boyhood. 

On the Sabbath day He went into the synagogue. A syna- 
gogue was a place where people met together to pray, and hear 
the word of God. It was not a fine, grand place, like the Temple 
at Jerusalem. 

There was only one temple in the land ; but there were many 
synagogues. 

When Jesus went into the synagogue of Nazareth, He was 
looked at by everybody ; for the people there had known Him when 
He was a little boy, and now they had heard of His great miracles, 
and they hoped He would do miracles in their city. 

There were high seats for those who read the Scriptures. 

Jesus was asked to read. 

A man handed Him one of the books of the Bible. It was the 
book of Isaiah, written on a roll of paper, or parchment. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 333 

Jesus stood up, and opened the roll at the place where it is 
written, " The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath 
anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor." 

Then He rolled up the book and gave it again to the man who 
had the charge of the rolls. 

He then sat down to preach. 

Every one fixed his eyes upon Jesus, wondering what He would 
say. 

He said, " This day the Scripture I have read has come to pass." 

He meant that God had given Him the Spirit to preach the 
Gospel to the poor. 

Ever}^ one admired the sweetness of His words, but some 
whispered together, " Is not this Joseph's son ? " 

Then Jesus told them that God had sometimes sent prophets to 
do miracles for people who were not Jews. It made the men of 
Nazareth angry to hear all this, for they wanted Jesus to do miracles 
in their own city. 

They all rose up, and hunted Jesus out of the synagogue, and 
up the street to the edge of the hill, that the}^ might cast Him head- 
long down the steep place, and that He might be dashed to pieces. 

But God saved His Son out of the jaws of these men, fierce as 
wild beasts. 

Jesus passed through the midst of them, and went to another city. 

How different were these men from those of S}^char in Samaria ! 

The men of Nazareth had known Jesus from a child, and yet 
they hated Him. 

The men of Sychar knew Him only for two days, and yet they 
believed in Him. 

The Miraculous Draught of Fishes. 

Jesus would not live at Nazareth any more. He lived in a city 
called Ca-per-na-um. 

It was close by the great Sea of Galilee, or Lake of Gennesareth. 

Many fishermen lived in this town — Peter lived there, and Jesus 
lived in the same house. 



334 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Peter and his brother Andrew had a boat, in which they fished 
upon the lake. 

James and John, with their father, had another boat. 

These four men shared the fishes they caught with each other, 
and so they were called partners. 

Jesus sometimes preached on the beach, close by the water. 

Once, while preaching there, He could hardly speak, because of 
the crowd that pressed Him on every side. 

He saw the two boats, or little ships, in the water. 

There was no one in them. 

Jesus got into one of these ships. It belonged to Simon Peter. 
As soon as Simon saw his Master get in, he got in also. 

The Lord asked him to push his ship a little way from the 
shore. 

Then He sat down and preached to the people on the beach. 
He could speak freely now, for the crowd could not press upon Him. 

When Jesus had done preaching, He said to Simon, " Push your 
ships further into the water, and let down your nets to draw fishes." 

Simon would not do this at first, for he thought it would be of 
no use. 

He said, " We have labored hard all night, and yet we have 
caught no fish ; but if you tell me, I will let down the net." 

This was right. Simon and Andrew let down the net ; but when 
they tried to draw it up again they could not, for there were such 
numbers of fishes caught that the net began to break. They made 
signs to John and James in the other ship to come quickly and 
help them. 

All four together were able to draw up the net and to fill both 
ships with fishes. 

So heavy were the ships that they began to sink. 

When Simon saw this miracle, he fell down at the knees of 
Jesus, and cried out, u Go away from me ; for I am a sinful man, O 
Lord!" 

Peter did not really want Jesus to go away, but he spoke in that 
manner because he was afraid. 




(335) 



336 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

He also felt he was unworthy of such kindness as Jesus had 
shown him. 

But Jesus would not go away from Peter : He loved him too 
well to leave him. 

He told Peter to follow Him always, and He made him a great 
promise, — 

" One day thou shalt catch men." 

He meant that Peter should save men from dying for ever and 
ever, by preaching to them about Jesus. 

All the four fishermen were much astonished by the miracle, and 
when they had brought their ships to land, they left all they had and 
followed Jesus. 



Jesus Heals a Man Who Was Insane. 

I will tell you how Jesus spent one Sabbath day. You know 
that He lived at Capernaum, by the side of the lake. It was His 
custom to go to the synagogue, and to sit among the teachers, 
and to read the word of God to the people. 

One day there was a man in the synagogue, who had a dread- 
ful affliction. An evil spirit had entered into his heart, and 
greatly tormented the poor man. 

Every one was listening to Jesus, and the wonderful things 
He said, when the evil spirit cried out with a loud voice, — 

"Let us alone: what have we to do with Thee, Jesus of 
Nazareth ? I know Thee who Thou art, the Holy One of God ! " 

At this Jesus cried out, — " Hold thy peace, and come out of 
him." 

The evil spirit did not like to leave the man ; but he was 
forced to obey Jesus. 

He tormented the man as much as he could in coming out 
of him : for he threw him down in the midst of the synagogue, 
and tore him. 

As soon as he was come out, the man felt no more pain, but 
was quiet and comfortable. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



337 



Ever}- one was astonished at this miracle, and said, " Even 
the unclean spirits obey Him ! " When Jesus left the synagogue, 
He went into the house where he lodged. It was the house of 




JESUS CARETH FOR THE SICK. 



Simon and Andrew. James and John came in with Jesus. They 
were all going to dine. But before they went to dinner, they told 
Jesus that there was some one in the house very sick. It was the 



33 8 MY MOTHER'S BIBEE STORIES. 

mother of Peter's wife. She had a fever. Jesus went immediately 
into her room and found her lying on the bed, feeling very hot, 
and thirsty, and restless. He stood near her bed, and told the fever 
to go away ; then He took her by the hand, and helped her to 
rise. The fever was gone, and the poor old woman felt quite well. 

She dressed herself quickly and went into the dining-room, 
to wait upon Jesus at dinner. How much surprised her friends 
were to see her well so soon ; for generally people are a long 
while getting well after having had a fever. 

The Jews began their Sabbath on Friday evening and ended 
it on Saturday evening, when the sun had set. 

It was now Saturday evening. 

Numbers of people came to the house where Jesus was. They 
all crowded round the door. Some were sick, some were blind, 
some were dumb, some were tormented by devils. The devils 
cried out, " Thou art the Son of God ! " But Jesus commanded 
them not to speak, and made them come out of the poor creatures. 

Jesus had been doing good from morning till night. He must 
have been tired. He went to bed at last ; but He did not lie there 
long. He rose up while it was still dark, and went quietly out 
to a place in the country where no one passed by. There He 
prayed to His Father. 



Jesus Heals a Sick Man. 

In the morning Peter could not find Jesus in the house, so he 
went to look for Him. A great many people came with him. 

At last they found Him praying, in a lonely spot far away 
from the town. 

They said to Him, " Every one is looking for you." 

They wanted Him to come back with them. 

But Jesus said that He must go and preach in other places. 

So He went about preaching and healing sick people. Wherever 
He went, crowds of people brought their sick children and friends 
to be healed. 



MY .MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 339 

After some time He came back to Capernaum, where Peter lived. 

Jesus generally lived there too, — in Peter's house. 

The people in the town were very glad to hear that Jesus 
was gone into the house. Numbers of people went to see Him, 
and soon the house was full, and those who could not get in stood 
around the door. 

Among the people who came were some proud men called 
Pharisees. 

These men thought they were very good, because they knew 
the words in the Bible, and because they made long prayers. 
But they hated Jesus and spoke against Him. They were in the 
house while Jesus was teaching. 

Soon four men came to the door, and could not get in. These 
men were carrying a bed, or couch. A sick man lay upon it. 
He had the palsy and could not move his limbs. He was quite 
helpless, so his four friends carried him in a bed. 

When they found they could not get in at the door, they 
thought of another way. There were stairs outside the house up 
to the roof — which was flat. They got up the stairs with the bed. 
It must have been hard work, but the men did not mind the 
trouble. When they got upon the flat roof, they took off some of 
the tiles and made a hole, and let down the bed with ropes from 
the top. Down came the bed through the roof to the floor, where 
Jesus was standing preaching. 

When He saw this, He was much pleased ; for He knew that 
the men believed He was able to cure their sick friend. 

Jesus looked on the poor man and said, " Man, thy sins are 
forgiven thee." 

Jesus knew the sick man was sorry for his sins. 

But the proud men said, " How wicked Jesus is to say He can 
forgive sins ! He speaks blasphemy." 

Though the proud men did not say this out loud, Jesus knew 
what they were thinking, and He said, — 

' Which is easier to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee ; or to say, 
Rise up and walk ? " 



340 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Then Jesus said to to the sick man, " Arise, take up thy bed, 
and go unto thine house." 

And the man did so, praising God as he went. 

Everybody who saw him was astonished ; but the Pharisees went 
on hating Jesus all the same. 



A Wonderful Thing That Happened at the Pool of Bethesda. 

Sometimes Jesus left Capernaum and went up to Jerusalem. 

He did many miracles there. 

At Jerusalem there was a great pool. A very wonderful thing 
happened at that pool once a year. An angel came down and 
troubled the water, aud the first sick person who stepped into the 
pool after this was done, was made well. 

No one knew at what moment the angel would come ; therefore 
many sick people came round the pool and waited there a long while. 

They wanted some place to wait in, as a shelter from the cold at 
night and the heat by day. There were five sheds, called porches, in 
which they lay. 

The place was called Beth-es-da, which means " House of 
Mercy." 

One Sabbath-day Jesus came to the pool of Bethesda, and saw 
the poor creatures lying in the porches. There were crowds of 
other people who were not sick. They came to see the troubling of 
the water. 

Jesus saw amongst the sick a poor man who was very weak, and 
only just able to creep along, but not able to go quickly. Many 
sick people had friends taking care of them, but this man had no one 
near him to help him. He was not like the man in Capernaum who 
had four faithful friends. 

Jesus pitied this poor, lonesome, friendless man. He knew 
that he had been weak for a long time — even for thirty-eight years. 

So He went up to him and spoke kindly to him, saying, 
" Would you like to be made well ? " 













CHRIST SOWS THE GOOD SEED IN EVERY HEART. 



(341) 



342 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

The man answered, " I have no one to put me into the pool ; 
but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me." 

Jesus said, " Take up thy bed and walk." 

The man rose, took up his bed, and walked along. 

As soon as the man rose up, Jesus went away from the place, 
without any one seeing Him go. 

The people standing near, saw the man carrying his bed, and 
they were astonished, for they remembered the weak man, who had 
often waited beside the pool. 

Some of the proud men who hated Jesus were there : and when 
they saw the man carrying his bed, they began to blame him. They 
said, "It is wrong for you to carry your bed on the Sabbath-day." 

The man answered, " He, who made me well, told me to take 
up my bed and walk." 

Then they asked him, " Who was it said so ? " 

But the poor man could not tell them who had cured him, for he 
had never seen Jesus before. 

But soon he knew who had cured him, for he went to the temple 
and there he saw Jesus. 

When Jesus saw the poor man, He said, u Sin no more, lest a 
worse thing come upon thee." 

The poor man had once done some very wicked thing, and he 
had been punished by a long sickness. Now Jesus commanded him 
to turn from his sins. 

The man went back to the proud Jews and told them it was 
Jesus who had cured him. He did not know how much those 
wicked men hated Jesus. 

They hated Him so much that they wanted to kill Him. Their 
real reason for hating Him was because He told them of their sins. 



Jesus Chooses Twelve Apostles. 

Jesus had a great many disciples. All who liked to hear 
Him, and all who loved Him were called His disciples. But they 
were not alwavs with Him. 




THE WINDS AND THE WAVES OBEYED CHRIST. 



(343) 



344 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Jesus wished to have twelve men always with Him, that He 
might teach them a great deal. 

Before He chose them, He spent a whole night in prayer to 
His Father upon a mountain. He was quite alone that night. 

As soon as it was light He called many of His disciples to 
come up the mountain. 

When they were come up, He chose twelve and called them 
Apostles. He meant them to be always with Him, till He should 
send them out to preach. 

The first I shall mention was Andrew, and then his brother 
Simon. This Simon had another name, which Jesus had given 
him. It was Peter, or " a stone." Andrew and Simon were 
fishermen. They were the sons of Jonas. 

The next pair of brothers were James and John, the sons of 
Zebedee. They were fishermen, and they used to go out fishing 
with Simon and Andrew. 

The next pair of brothers were James and Jude. A long 
while afterward they wrote two letters, which you will find in the 
Bible, called the Epistles of James and Jude. 

So I have mentioned three pairs of brothers, which made six. 

There were six more Apostles who were not brothers. 

Matthew was an Apostle. His other name was Levi. Once, 
when he was sitting by the lake, at a little table taking money 
for taxes, he heard Jesus say, " Follow Me," and he followed Him; 
and now he was chosen to be an Apostle. A long while afterward 
he wrote the history of Jesus, called the Gospel of St. Matthew. 

Thomas was chosen to be another Apostle, — afterward he was 
ver}^ slow to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. 

Philip also was slow to believe that Jesus could feed the 
multitude with five loaves. 

Bartholomew was another Apostle — we think that his other name 
was Nathanael, and that he was Philip's friend, — and that he prayed 
under the fig-tree. 

Simon had the same name as Peter; he was called the Canaanite ? 
because he came from Cana, where Jesus turned water into wine. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 345 

There was one more Apostle, Judas Iscariot, who betrayed the 
Saviour at the last. He was always bad, and Jesus knew it. 
Yet He chose him to be an Apostle. It would have been better 
for Judas if he had never been born. 

With these twelve Apostles Jesus came down from the mountain 
and stood in the plain. There He healed the diseases of the multi- 
tudes who came from all parts to ask for mercy. 

No one can say how many disciples Jesus had, for all who loved 
Him were His disciples, but only twelve were called Apostles. 



Something More About John the Baptist. 

While Jesus was doing miracles in Galilee, John the Baptist 
was in prison. 

Herod had put him there. Not that Herod who once killed 
the little children, for he was dead. This Herod was son of the 
other. 

Why had Herod put John in prison ? 

I will tell you why, and you will see how wicked he was. 

Though he was wicked, he liked to hear John preach, and he 
minded many things that he said. But there was one sin that he 
would not give up. He had taken away his brother Philip's wife. 
Her name was He-ro-di-as. She was very wicked to leave her 
husband and go and live with Herod. John the Baptist told Herod 
that he must not keep Herodias in his house any longer, but send 
her away. 

Herod did not like to part with her, for he was fond of her. 
He told Herodias that John wanted him to send her away. Then 
Herodias was very angry, and said to Herod, " I want you to have 
John killed." But Herod would not do it, for he knew that the 
people thought John very good, and that they would be angry if 
he had him killed. 

Though Herod was afraid of having John killed, he sent men 
to seize him and put him in prison. 



346 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

The prison was in a great castle near the Dead Sea. John was 
cast into a dungeon, and his hands and feet were hurt with chains. 
His voice was no more heard in the wilderness crying out, — 
" Behold the Larnb of God which taketh away the sin of the 
world." 



John Sends Messengers to Jesus. 

While John the Baptist was in prison, his disciples often came 
to see him. 

He had disciples as well as Jesns. They mnst have been very 
sad now their master was in prison. 

One day they came and told him about the great miracles that 
Jesus had been doing. They told him how Jesus had brought to 
life the widow's son who was being carried to the grave. 

John's disciples had not seen these miracles themselves, they had 
only heard of them. So John thought it would be best for them to 
go and see Jesus work his miracles ; for he wanted them to believe 
that He was the Son of God. 

John. did not tell all of his disciples to make this long journey; 
he called two of them, and told them to go to Galilee, where Jesus 
was ; and to ask him whether he was the true Saviour that God 
had promised to send. 

It was a long way from the prison near the Dead Sea to the Sea 
of Gal-i-lee. 

These two disciples came at last to the place. They found Jesus 
in the midst of sick, lame and blind people. They came up to Him, 
and said, — 

"John Baptist hath sent us unto Thee, saying, Art Thou He 
that should come, or look we for another? " 

Jesus answered not in words, but by doing miracles. 

He cured all the people who were round Him, and cast out 
the evil spirits. 

These disciples were greatly astonished at what they now saw. 
Then Jesus said to them, " Go your way, and tell John what 










STREET LEADING TO HEROD'S PALACE. 



54: 



348 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

things ye have seen and heard ; how that the blind see, the lame 
walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, 
the gospel is preached to the poor." 

So these disciples returned to their master in the prison, and 
told him all they had seen and heard. John was not surprised, 
for he knew well that Jesns was the Son of God, and conld do 
everything ; and he wished his disciples to believe on Jesus. 

When the two disciples were gone away, Jesns began to praise 
John. He said, — 

" No one that ever was born was a greater prophet than John 
the Baptist." 

Yet though John was so great, wicked people said he had a devil. 

And what did they say of Jesus ? They called Him dreadful 
names, — a glutton, and a drunkard, and a friend of sinners. 

The last is true ; for though Jesus hates sin, He is indeed 
the Friend of sinners — the Friend who died for them — the Friend 
who lives to save them. 



Herod Causes John to be Beheaded in Prison. 

One day Herod gave a grand feast in his castle. It was on 
his birthday. Many great lords came to the feast. 

Herodias did not come to the feast, for ladies were not invited ; 
but she was in the castle at the time. 

While the lords were eating their dainty dishes, and drinking 
their rich wines, a girl, gayly dressed, entered the dining-hall. 

She w r as the daughter of Herodias. Her name was Sa-lo-me, 
and she was Herod's niece. 

She danced beautifully before the lords, and Herod was greatly 
pleased. 

Good men w r ould have been grieved to see her dance ; but the 
lords were delighted, and Herod was so much pleased that he asked 
what she would have as a reward. 

" Ask what you will," said he, " and I will give it you, — even 
if it be the half of my kingdom." 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



349 



He did not mean really to give her the half of his kingdom. 
That was only a way of speaking. 

The little girl did not know what to ask for, so she ran to her 
mother for advice. 
That was right. 
But this poor child 
had a wicked 
mother who gave 
her bad advice. 
Salome told her 
mother all that 
Herod had said. 

"My child;' 

replied Herodias, 

" ask for the head 

of John the Baptist 

in a great dish." 

Salome, though so 

young, mnst have 

known that it was 

wicked to kill the 

holy prophet; yet 

she obeyed her 

mother (when she 

ought not) , and ran 

back to the dining- 

hall, with the words 

on her lips, "John 

the Baptist's head 

in a great dish." 

Herod was beheading of john the baptist. 

filled with grief by the child's request. He did not expect a child 
would ask for such a thing. He ought to have said " No," but he 
did not, because he feared the lords would laugh at him if he did 
not keep his promise. 




350 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

But a wicked promise ought not to be kept. 

Herod was more afraid of the laughter of his lords than of the 
anger of God. 

So he sent for the executioner, whose horrible business it was to 
cut off heads, and he commanded him to cut off the head of John 
the Baptist immediately. So the man went into the dark dungeon, 
with a sword in his hand, and beheaded the holy prophet. 

There were no gray hairs upon that head, for John was still 
young and strong. It was well for him to go to his God, and to 
wait above for the Lamb of God, soon to be crucified. 

The executioner placed the bleeding head in a great dish, 
and gave it into the hands of Salome, and those young hands 
carried the cruel present to the fierce Herodias. 

That wretched woman was glad with a joy like Satan's to behold 
the silent tongue, that could no more say to Herod, " Send her away." 

But what did John's disciples feel when they heard of their 
master's death ? 

They were exceedingly grieved. There was one thing they 
desired to have. It was the headless body of their beloved teacher. 
Herod let them have it. The disciples bore it in their loving 
arms to the tomb which they had prepared. 

Then they wanted to tell Jesus of their trouble. 

They had a long journey to go, from the Dead Sea to Galilee. 
Two of them had lately made that journey, that they might see 
Jesus work miracles. Now they went to be comforted ; and who 
can comfort as Jesus can ? 

He knew all — without their telling him ; but He liked to hear 
them speak of their master's death. For Jesus loved John, as His 
faithful messenger and friend. 



Jesus Restores L,ife to a Young Girl Who had Died. 

A rich man came to Jesus, and fell down at His feet, and said 
" I have one little girl, and she is very sick ; pray come and make 
her well." 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 351 

Jesus went with the rich man. 

When the}' were near the house, some servants came out and 
said, ki The little girl is just dead; no one can make her well 
now." 

But Jesus said, " Do not be afraid ; I can make her well." 

Jesus said to the father and mother of the little girl, " Come 
with me into the house. Peter, James and John, you may come 
in, but no one else." 

So they went up to the room where the little girl was lying 
in bed. A great many people were in the room, playing sad 
music, and singing sad songs, and crying, because the child was 
dead. But Jesus said, " Leave off crying. The child is only 
sleeping: she is not dead." Jesus said she was asleep, because He 
knew that death only resembles sleep. He always spoke of death 
in that way. Those who die " fall asleep " for a little while and 
then the}' come to life again. But the people laughed at Jesus, 
and said, " She is dead;" and they would not believe that He 
could make her alive again. 

Jesus said, " These people must be put out of the room." So 
He sent them out, and shut the door ; but He let the father and 
mother, and Peter, and James, and John, stay in the room. He 
took the little girl's hand, and said, " Arise." At first she sat up, 
and then she rose up out of bed, and walked about the room. She 
was twelve years old. Jesus then said, " Bring her something to 
eat." 

The father and mother were greatly astonished at what had 
happened. 



Herod, on Hearing of Jesus, Supposed He was John the Baptist 

Come to Life Again. 

Jesus went about from one place to another, and taught in all 
the synagogues, and cured all the sick people. 

Herod had a fine house near the lake in Galilee. His servants 
came and told him about the miracles that Jesus did. 



352 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Then lie remembered John the Baptist, whom he had so wickedly 
killed, and he felt afraid lest he had come to life again and was called 
Jesns ; for though John had never done miracles, Herod thought that 
perhaps he could do miracles now that he was alive again. 

So when his servants told him about Jesus, he answered, " It is 
John whom I beheaded." 

Herod wished very much to see Jesus, that he might find out 
whether He was John the Baptist ; but he was too proud to go to Him. 

How unhappy he felt in his fine palace, thinking of the wicked 
things he had done long ago ! yet he was not really sorry. 

About this time Jesus sent out His Apostles to preach in all 
the towns and villages. He did not send each alone, but two 
together. He knew that it was a comfort to have a friend when 
any one goes to a new place. We do not know which two went 
together. Perhaps Peter went with his brother Andrew ; perhaps 
he went with his friend John. Perhaps Philip went with his 
friend Nathanael (called Bartholomew). Who went with Judas 
Iscariot ? No one would have liked to go with him if he had known 
how wicked he was ; but they had not found him out. 

Before they set out, Jesus gave them power to do miracles ; 
even to cast out devils and to raise the dead. They took nothing 
with them but a staff each ; they took no bag of bread with them, 
and no purse with money ; for Jesus promised that kind people 
would give them all the food and clothes they wanted by the way. 

So they went and preached, and did miracles. 

When they had .gone through a great many towns, they all 
returned to Jesus and began to tell Him what they had done. 
But they wanted to be quiet while they were talking, and there 
were so many people coming and going in that place that they 
desired to go to another place. Here they could not even sit 
down to a meal without being disturbed by some one. So Jesus 
said, " Let us go to a desert place, where we may rest awhile." 

They were close by the sea, and they got into a ship and 
sailed a few miles along the lake till they came to a place where 
there were no houses. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 353 

They meant to go without being seen. But some people who 
knew Jesus saw Him getting into the ship, and they told other 
people ; and a great many ran along by the side of the lake, and got 
before the ship ; so when Jesus got out of the ship with His disciples, 
He found thousands of people waiting for Him. How much 
disappointed the Apostles must have been to find that they could 
not talk alone with their Lord ! 

Jesus pitied these poor people, and began to teach them. 

He went on teaching till the evening came. Then His Apostles 
hoped that the people w T ould go home and leave them alone with 
their Master; but Jesus told the Apostles to feed them with five 
loaves and two fishes. Jesus made this small amount of food 
enough for five thousand men, besides women and children. The 
people even threw down little bits of bread and fish on the grass, 
because they could eat no more. 

Jesus desired the Apostles to pick up the pieces, and when 
they had done so, they filled twelve baskets ; which was more than 
enough for the suppers of all the Apostles. 

Now the Apostles hoped they should be alone with their 
Master. But no ; Jesus desired them to get into the ship and to 
go home by themselves, while He sent the people away. They 
were obliged to obey their Master, and they went away very 
unwillingly. 



Jesus Walks on the Water. 

When the Apostles were gone, Jesus remained to send the 
multitudes away. They were too far from home to get there that 
night, and they must have slept among the hills, or in the villages 
close by. 

And where did Jesus sleep that night ? 

He did not sleep at all, but He went up on a mountain and 
prayed to His Father. 

And how did the poor Apostles get on in the ship without 
their Master? 



354 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



At first they went on very well ; but when they were about 
half way across, the wind began to blow very hard. They had to 
take down the sails because the wind drove the ship back, and 
they tried with all their strength to get the ship on by rowing. 
But they were so much tossed by the waves that they were afraid 
they should all go down and be lost. Oh, how much they wished 
for their Master at this moment ! But though they could not see 




JESUS WALKING ON THE WATER. 

And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, sayino-, 
It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. — ST. Matthew xiv: 26. 

Him, He saw them from the mountain-top, toiling at their oars, 
for the darkness and the distance could not hide them from His 
eyes. 

In the darkest part of the night He came to them, not in a 
ship, for there was none, but walking upon the waves of the sea. 
Three or four miles He walked on the foaming roaring waters. 

When He came near the ship, He did not go up to it, but 
seemed as if He was going to walk further. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 355 

His Apostles could just see a figure ou the sea, but they could 
not tell who it was iu the darkness, and they cried out in then- 
fright, " It is a spirit ! " 

They thought it was a spirit without a body, as they knew 
that men with bodies would sink in the water. 

Soon they heard a voice above the roaring of the sea, cry 
out, — 

" Be of good cheer, it is I ; be not afraid." 

They knew that voice ; and Peter called to Him : 

" Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water." 

Jesus answered, " Come." 

Peter had the courage to spring out of the ship, and to walk 
upon the rough sea, for a little while, but when he came very 
near Jesus, he thought of the high and furious wind, and he felt 
afraid. Then he began to sink. In his fright, he called out, — 

" Lord, save me ! " 

Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand, and caught him, as 
he was beginning to sink. 

Jesus gently said : " O thou of little faith, why didst thou 
doubt ? " 

Then both Jesus and Peter got into the ship. That moment 
the wind ceased blowing, and the waves were stilled. The Apostles 
came around Jesus to worship Him, saying, 

" Of a truth Thou art the Son of God ! " 



Jesus Preaches to the People. 

It was morning when Jesus and His Apostles got out of the 
little ship and stood upon the shore. The people knew Him, and 
were glad to see Him ; for Capernaum was close by where He 
lodged in Peter's house. 

Those who saw Him land went and told others, and soon 
crowds of poor creatures were seen coming out of the city and 
from the country. Here were children leading their blind parents, 
and there were parents carrying their sick children. Every one 



356 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

who even touched the border of Christ's clothes was made well. 
But what had become of the people on the other side, whom Jesus 
had fed the night before ? 

They had slept near the place where they were fed ; and they 
hoped to find Jesus when they woke next morning. But when 
morning came they could not find Him. 

They could not think where He was. They thought He could 
not have crossed the lake, because there was no other ship, except 
the one in which the Apostles had gone away. They little knew 
that Jesus had walked on the sea in the night, and had overtaken 
his Apostles in the ship. 

The people longed to get to Jesus. They thought He must 
have crossed over, though they could not tell how. 

At last, some ships came from another place, and many of the 
people got into them, and sailed over into Capernaum. 

They found Jesus on the shore healing the multitude. They 
ran up to Him and said, — 

" Master, when did you come here?" 

Jesus did not tell them how He had walked on the sea, but 
He said, — 

" I know why you are come after Me ; it is because you ate 
of the loaves and were filled." 

That was the real reason why they had come after Jesus in 
such haste. They wanted to be fed every day, and to live with- 
out working for their bread. Jesus was displeased with them for 
caring more for their bodies than for the salvation of their souls. 

He said, " Try and get that food which will make you live 
forever." 

Then the people replied, " What wonder can you do ? Our 
fathers ate manna in the wilderness." 

They meant to remind Jesus how Moses gave manna to the 
Israelites, that He might do the same. 

Jesus answered, " The bread of God comes down from heaven, 
and gives life unto the world." 

Then they said, " Give us this bread always." 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 357 

But they did not know what bread Jesus meant till He said, 
"I am the Bread of Life. All that the Father giveth Me shall 
come to Me ; and him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast 
out." 

But they did not yet know that Jesus was able to save their 
souls from endless death. 

One day, when He was in the synagogue, He said, — 

u I am the bread which came down from heaven." 

When the chief men in the synagogue heard that, they 
murmured in whispers to each other, and said, — 

11 He did not come down from heaven. We know His father 
and mother." 

Jesus knew what the Jews were whispering, and He said, 
"The bread which I will give is My flesh, which I will give for 
the life of the world ; he that eateth of this bread shall live 
forever." 

Jesus meant He was going to die for us, and that if any one 
believed in Him he should live forever. 

But the Jews did not understand Him, and they said, " How 
can this man give us His flesh to eat?" And a great many who 
had believed in Him were displeased with this saying, and would 
not follow Him any more. 

One day, Jesus said to His Apostles, " Will you also go 
away?" 

Peter was the first to answer, " Lord, to whom shall we go ? 
Thou hast the words of eternal life, and we believe and are sure 
that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God." 

Jesus answered, " Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of 
you is a devil ? " 

He spoke of Judas Iscariot, for Jesus knew he would betray 
Him at last. 

It is terrible to think that a man may be as wicked as a 
devil. Judas never believed in Jesus, and in the end he was lost. 

Jesus is willing to save all that come to Him, for He has said, — 

" Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out." 



358 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Glories of the Mount of Transfiguration. 

At this time Jesus began to talk to His disciples about a very 
sorrowful thing. It was His own death. He told them He must 
soon go to Jerusalem to be killed. 

The disciples did not like to hear this, for they hoped that 
He would go to Jerusalem to be made a king. They felt very sad 
when they heard Jesus say, — 

" I shall be ill-treated by the priests and the great men, and 
I shall be killed." 

Jesus went on to say, " I shall be raised again in three 
days." 

But the disciples were not glad to hear this, for they did not 
know what Jesus meant by being raised again. 

A week afterward a very wonderful thing happened. 

One evening Jesus went up a mountain with His three favorite 
disciples, Peter, John and James. 

On the mountain-top Jesus began to pray. As he was praying, 
His disciples observed a change in His face. 

His face grew bright as the sun and His clothing became 
whiter than snow. 

Two glorious men came from heaven and talked with Jesus. 
They were Moses and Elijah. 

Moses had once died and been buried. But he had risen 
again. 

Elijah had been taken to heaven without dying. These glorious 
men talked to Jesus about His death at Jerusalem, which was soon 
to occur. 

The three disciples were delighted with what they saw and 
heard ; and Peter said to Jesus, — 

" Lord, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three 
tabernacles, one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah." 

But could Jesus live there in glory ? Was He not soon to be 
killed ? Peter had forgotten what Jesus had told him about being 
killed. He was so much afraid, he knew not what he said. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



359 



Suddenly a bright cloud came over Jesus and His glorious 
friends, and hid them from the disciples' eyes. A voice came out 
of the cloud, saying, — 

" This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." 
It was the Father's voice, heard once before at the baptism of 
Jesus. The voice made the disciples still more afraid. They fell on 




JESUS TALKING WITH HIS DISCIPLES. 

While He yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and behold a 
voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: 
hear ye Him.— St. Matthew xvii: 5. 

their faces, nor did they lift them up again till they felt a gentle 
touch, and heard a well-known voice, saying, — 

" Arise, and be not afraid." 

When they looked up, they saw no one but Jesus ; the glorious 
men from heaven were gone away. All these things had happened 
in the night. 

When it was morning they came down the mountain with Jesus. 

As they were going down, Jesus said, "Tell no man what you 
have seen — till the Son of man be risen from the dead." 



360 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Though they did not know what rising from the dead meant, 
the disciples obeyed their Master and never told any one what they 
had seen, till after Jesus had risen from the grave. 

Jesus told them again that He should be cruelly treated at 
Jerusalem. 

It was a comfort to the disciples to think of the glorious scene 
upon the mountain. 

One day Jesus will come again in such glory as the disciples 
saw, and all His people will be bright and beautiful like their Lord. 



Jesus Teaches Humility. 

Jesus went about from village to village doing miracles ; and 
everywhere He went a multitude followed Him, and pressed upon 
Him. 

When He was alone with His Apostles He told them that He 
should soon be killed, and that He should rise the third day. 

They were very sorry to hear He would be killed; but still 
they hoped that He would soon be a glorious king and reign in 
Jerusalem. 

One day as they walked near Him they disputed with each 
other ; but they did not wish their Lord to hear them. Yet Jesus 
always knew what they were saying, and even what they were 
thinking. 

They came soon to Capernaum, where Jesus lived in Peter's 
house. 

They all went into the house. 

As soon as they were come in, Jesus asked them this ques- 
tion, u What were you disputing about as you went along?" 

They were ashamed to answer Him; for they had been dis- 
puting which of them should be the greatest when Jesus was king. 

They knew it was wrong to wish to be the greatest ; yet they 
had proud selfish hearts, and often said what they knew to be 
wrong. 






MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



36i 









Jesus sat down in the house and called all His Apostles around 
Him. Then He said, 

" If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, 
and servant of all." 

Then he called a little child and set him in the midst of them, 
that all the Apostles might see him, and He said, — 

" Whosoever shall be humble like this little child, he shall be 
greatest in the kingdom of heaven." 

Then in His kindness He took the little child in His arms. 

You see how much Jesus loves chil- 
dren. He wishes every one to be hum- 
ble like them, for little children never 
wish to be great. They care not whether 
their mother is a queen or a poor 
woman, they love her all the same. 
When they grow older they grow less 
humble, unless they have the Holy 
Spirit, and then they grow more hum- 
ble still. 

But no one was ever so humble as 
Jesus; He left a throne of glory to be 
a poor man in this world. He is the gentle Shepherd, and chil- 
dren are His little lambs. 




JESUS LOVES I^TTLE CHILDREN. 



The Story of Mary and Martha, Who J^oved Jesus. 

The people in Jerusalem were very anxious to see Jesus again. 

The poor people wanted to see Him do more miracles ; but the 
proud people wanted to kill Him. 

At last He came up to Jerusalem. 

He taught in the temple, and many came to hear Him and 
to see His miracles. The poor people praised Him very much. 
This made the Pharisees and the priests more angry than before ; 
and they sent men to seize Him while He was teaching, and to 
bring Him to them. 



362 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

But when these men came to Jesus they heard Him speak 
these beautiful words, " If any man thirst, let him come unto Me 
and drink. " Jesus meant He would give the Holy Spirit to those 
who believed on Him. 

The men who were sent to take Him went back without 
bringing Jesus. The priests and Pharisees were provoked, and said 
to the men, " Why have you not brought Him ? " 

They replied, " Never spake man like this man." 

Another time when Jesus was teaching, the Pharisees said to 
him, " Thou hast a devil." Was it not dreadful to speak so to 
the Son of God ? 

Jesus answered meekly, " I have not a devil." 

Soon afterward He said, " If a man keep My saying, he shall 
never see death." 

What saying did Christ mean? 

The saying He meant was, " I am the Son of God." 

If any man believed that saying he would live forever ; Jesus 
would give him everlasting life. To keep that saying was to 
believe in Jesus. 

Then the Jews mocked Him and took up stones to kill Him ; 
but he passed through the crowd without any one seeing Him, for 
His time to die was not yet come. 

But though Jesus had many cruel enemies, He had a few 
loving friends. 

There was a little village near Jerusalem, called Bethany. It 
was a pretty place shaded by palm-trees, just below Mount Olivet. 

In this little village a little family lived. There were two 
sisters, named Martha and Mary, and a brother, named Lazarus. 
They all loved Jesus and begged Him to come often to their 
house. 

When Jesus came and sat down in the house Mary always 
sat at His feet, to listen to His words. But Martha went to the 
kitchen to prepare a fine dinner for her Lord. 

She was not pleased with Mary for leaving her to do all the 
work alone, and she came to Jesus to complain of her sister. 




JESUS AT THE HOME OF MARY AND MARTHA. 



364 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

She said to Him, " Dost thou not care that my sister hath left 
me to serve alone ? Bid her, therefore, that she help me." 

It was very wrong of Martha to tell the Lord what He ought 
to say. 

But she was angry and said what she was afterward sorry 
for. She thought Jesus would praise her ; but He blamed her and 
praised her sister. He told her that she cared too much for the 
things of this world ; but He said of her sister, " Mary hath chosen 
that good part which shall not be taken away from her." 

What good part had Mary chosen ? 

To listen to the words of Jesus ; and Martha could not take 
her away from sitting at His feet. 

Jesus did not care for eating or drinking. He cared most about 
teaching men how to be saved. 

If Martha had known how to please Him, she would have 
brought Him plain food ; such as a piece of bread, or fish ; or a 
little milk and honey ; and she would have sat down with Mary 
at His feet and listened to His word. 



Story of the Blind Beggar. 

One Sabbath day Jesus was walking in Jerusalem, when He 
saw a blind beggar sitting down in the street. 

This beggar was a young man. He had been born blind, and 
had been used from a child to sit in the street and beg. His 
parents were still living, but they let him beg his own bread. 

Jesus had pity on this poor beggar. He cured him in quite 
a new way. He spat on the ground, and then mixed it with the 
dust, and with this wet dust, or clay, He made a plaster for the 
man's eyes ; and said to him, " Go to the pool of Siloam and wash." 
There was a pond, or pool, in Jerusalem called Siloam. 

The blind man could find his way through the streets by 
himself, for he had been used to walk alone. He went to the pool 
with the plaster over his eyes, and washed it off, and came back 
able to see. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES: 



365 



Soon the neighbors saw him, and were surprised that he was 
no longer blind. These neighbors were people who lived near the 
street where the man used to beg ; and they knew his face quite 
well. They said to each other, u Is not this the man who used to 







THE EOST SHEEP. 



sit by the way and beg?" Some said, " He is like him." But the 
beggar said, " I am the man who was blind and sat by the way and 
begged." Then the neighbors asked him, " How were his eyes 
opened?" The beggar answered, "A man called Jesus made clay 



366 MY MOTHER'S BIBI V E STORIES. 

aud put it on my eyes, and told me to go to the pool of Siloam 
and wash ; and I went, and I was made to see." 

The neighbors said, " Where is that man ?" 

He said, " I do not know." 

The neighbors knew that the Pharisees would say it was wrong 
to make clay on the Sabbath, as well as to cure a blind man. 

They did not believe in Jesus, so they took the beggar to the 
Pharisees, as they were sitting to judge people. 

The Pharisees said to the man, " How did you receive your 
sight?" The man replied, "Jesus put clay upon my eyes, and I 
washed, and do see." 

Some of the Pharisees answered, "Jesus cannot be sent by God, 
because He has broken the Sabbath by making clay." 

Other Pharisees said, " But how can a wicked man do such, 
miracles ? " 

The}^ asked the blind man, " What do you say of Jesus." 

He replied, " I say, He is a prophet. If He were not sent by 
God, how could He open my eyes ? Who ever heard of such a 
thing as a man giving sight to one who was born blind ? If Jesus 
is a wicked man He could not have opened my eyes." 

It was right of this young man to speak well of Jesus ; but 
the Pharisees were so angry that they would have nothing to do 
with the man. They forbade him to enter the synagogue for a 
month. 

Jesus heard how ill the poor man had been treated, and He 
went to look for him. 

He knew the man could not be in the temple, for the Pharisees 
had forbidden him to go there. Jesus knew whether he should 
meet the man by the way, or whether He should find him in his 
own home. He knew the man well, but the man did not know 
Jesus, for he had never seen Him, as he was blind when Jesus first 
spoke to him. 

Jesus said to him, " Dost thou believe on the Son of God ? " 

The man answered, " Who is He, Lord, that I might believe 
on Him?" 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 367 

Jesus said, u Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that 
talketh with thee." 

The man replied, " Lord, I believe." And he worshiped Him. 

This man was happy, for he had Jesus for his friend. He had 
spoken well of the Lord before wicked men ; and one day the Lord 
will own him for His child before the holy angels. 



Story of the Z,ost Sheep. 

After Jesus had cured the blind beggar, He preached to the 
Pharisees. 

He spoke these sweet words as he taught : 

"lam the good shepherd; the good shepherd giveth His life 
for the sheep. I am the good shepherd ; and I know My sheep 
and My sheep know Me." 

That poor blind beggar was one of these sheep. Jesus knew 
him first, and afterward he knew Jesus. He must have felt glad 
when he heard those words about the shepherd and the sheep. 

But the Pharisees were angry, and they said again that Jesus 
had a devil and was mad. 

And other people said, " These are not the words of one who 
has a devil. Could He have opened the blind man's eyes, if He had 
a devil ?" 

The chief men among the Pharisees hated Jesus so much that 
they took up stones to stone Him ; and would have killed Him, if 
He had not gone away secretly. 

There were men called publicans. These men went about to 
get the public taxes for Csesar, who was king at Rome ; so they 
were called publicans. One of Jesus' apostles had once been a 
publican. This was Matthew. Jesus saw him once receiving money 
at a table by the side of the lake. That money was the public 
taxes. Jesus had said to Matthew, " Follow Me ;" and he had come 
after Jesus. 

Matthew had many friends among the publicans, and he wanted 
them to hear Jesus ; so he made a great feast in his house, and 



3 68 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



invited the publicans, and he begged Jesus to coine and talk to 
them. 

When the Pharisees saw Him dining with the publicans and 
other great sinners, they were very angry and spoke against 
Jesus. 

One name they called Him was, " The Friend of Sinners. " 
The Pharisees were angry with Jesus for being a Friend to bad 
men : but we are glad that we have a Saviour who loves us. Jesus 
likes the name, " Friend of Sinners." He once told a little 




JESUS THE FRIEND OF SINNERS. 

And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; 
but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. — 
St. Luke v: 31, 32. 

parable to show His love to sinners. He said, " If a man had a 
hundred sheep and one of them went away, what would he do? 
Would he not leave the ninety-and-nine and go and look for the 
poor lost sheep ? And when he had found it, he would put it on 
his shoulders and carry it home. And when he was come home 




(3*9) 



37o MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

he would call his friends and neighbors together, and say, Rejoice 
with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost." 

Children, do you understand this parable ? It means that Jesus 
seeks for sinners, and brings them back to His own home, and tells 
the angels of God to rejoice with Him. 

The proud Pharisees did not think they were lost sheep ; but 
many poor publicans knew they were. 



Jesus Blesses Little Children. 

Children are the lambs of Jesus. Once some mothers brought 
their little ones to Him. The disciples wanted the mothers to take 
them away ; but Jesus was much displeased with the disciples for tell- 
ing the mothers to go ; and He said, — 

" Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them 
not ; for of such is the kingdom of God." And then He took them 
up in His arms, and put His hands on them and blessed them. 

He was kind to other people besides children. He was kind 
even to His enemies. 

Once He was passing through Samaria on His way to Jerusalem 
with His disciples. 

The people of Samaria did not like the Jews. 

Jesus came near a village. He wished to sleep there; so He 
sent messengers to ask whether any one would let Him come 
to his house. I do not know who the messengers were, but I suppose 
they were some of the disciples. 

Jesus waited outside the village till the messengers came back. 

Soon they returned. 

They said, " No one will let you come to his house, because 
you are going to Jerusalem." ( 

When the disciples heard that the Samaritans would not let 
them in, James and John spoke very angrily. They said to Jesus, 
" Let us command fire to come down from heaven, to burn up these 
Samaritans !" 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



37* 



Jesus replied, " You do not know what sort of spirit you have. 
The Son of Man is not come to kill men, but to save their lives." 

How gentle Jesus always was ! 

But was not John very gentle, too ! 

Not at first ; though afterward he was gentle like Jesus ; for 
the Spirit of Jesus came into his heart ; and then he was like the 
lamb and the dove. 

It is wicked to 
wish to hurt those 
who offend us. 

Jesus meekly 
went to another 
village, where the 
people were kind, 
and let Him come 
into a house with 
His disciples. 



a. - 




THE ROAD TO SAMARIA. 



Story of the Rich 
Young Man. 

Jesus was go- 
ing on His way to 
Jerusalem. 

One day a 
young man came 
running up to Him 
and knelt down at 

His feet. He was rich ; and he was a ruler or lord — a great and 
honorable man. He wanted to save his soul, and he said, " Good 
Master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life ? " 
Jesus said, " If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." 

Then Jesus mentioned some of the commandments : — " Thou 
shalt not kill, nor steal, nor tell lies ; Honor thy father and thy 
mother." 



372 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

The young man replied, " I have obeyed all these command- 
ments since I was a youth until now." 

Had this young man really kept all God's commandments ? 

Oh, no ! He thought he had, but he had not really ; for every 
one has disobeyed God many times ; no one can be saved by his 
own goodness. That was the reason that Jesus died for us ; because 
we deserve to die and cannot save ourselves. 

But this young man did not know he was a sinner. Yet 
Jesus looked at him and loved him. 

He gave him another commandment, to try whether he would 
obey Him. 

He said to him, " Go and sell that thou hast and give to the 
poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven ; and come and follow 
Me." 

The young man did not like to sell his fine house and garden, 
his fields and his furniture, and become poor like Jesus. 

So he went away ; but he was very sorry to go, for he wished to 
have eternal life, as well as the fine things of this world. 

This young man ought to have obeyed Jesus, instead of going 
away. 

When this sorrowful young man was gone, Jesus looked round 
about on His disciples and said, " How hard it is for the rich to 
enter the kingdom of God ! " 

The disciples were surprised to hear this, for they thought many 
rich people would go to heaven. 

Peter said, " We have left all and followed Thee. What shall 
we have ? " 

Peter had left his fishing-boat and nets and many of his 
friends. 

Jesus made this promise to Peter, and to all : " Every one that 
has forsaken houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, 
or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, shall receive a hun- 
dred times as much in this life, and afterward eternal life." 

There are good men called missionaries, who have left their 
country to preach to the heathen. 







(373) 



374 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

There are good men called martyrs, who have gone to prison 
and been burned for the sake of Jesus. 

These missionaries and these martyrs shall wear bright crowns 
of glory when Jesus comes again. 



Story of the Humble Publican and the Proud Pharisee. 

Jesus was followed by a multitude as He passed through Jericho. 

Most of them were poor; some were beggars, for Bartimeus 
was amongst the crowd, and the other beggar who had been blind. 

There was a rich man who had never seen Jesus, and who 
wanted very much to see Him. 
I His name was Zaccheus. 

He was a publican, or collector of public taxes, as Matthew the 
Apostle once had been. 

But Zaccheus was set over the other publicans, and he was a 
very rich man. 

Perhaps you think it was easy for him to get a sight of Jesus 
as He was passin g out of the town ; but there was one thing that 
made him fear that he should not be able to see Him. He was 
very short, and he was afraid tall men would stand before him, 
and hide Jesus from his sight. 

So he thought, " If I could get up a tree, I could look down 
upon Jesus as He passed by." 

He ran on some way, and then climbed a tree, and waited for 
the crowd to come near. It was a sycamore tree, with very large 
leaves, and Zaccheus may have supposed that he should be hidden 
among the leaves. 

How much surprised he was — when Jesus passed by — to see 
Him look up and fix His eyes on him and say, " Zaccheus, make 
haste and come down; for to-day I must stay at thy house." 

He saw that Jesus knew his name, and knew where he was, and 
where he lived, and all about him. He must now have felt sure that 
Jesus was God ; for no one else could know all this without being 
told. 






(375) 



37^ 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



Zaccheus made haste and ran to his house, and received his Lord 
there with great joy. 

The proud Pharisees were watching all that Jesus did ; and when 
they saw Him go into the publican's house they murmured; for they 
thought that all publicans were wicked. They said : " He has gone 
to visit a sinner." 

They did not think that they themselves were much worse sin- 
ners ; yet they really were : for proud people are the greatest of 

sinners. Zaccheus had committed 
many sins, and he now felt very 
sorry ; and he wished to give up 
his sins and please God. 

While the Pharisees were 
speaking against him and his Mas- 
ter, he stood and said, — 

" Behold, Lord, I give half of 
all I possess to the poor ; and if I 
have ever made any one pay more 
taxes than was right, I give him 
back four times as much." 

Jesus was much pleased with 
Zaccheus, and said, — 

" This day is salvation come 
to this house." 

By this He meant that the family of Zaccheus would be saved, 
and that they would believe in Jesus, as well as their master. 

Jesus said also, " The Son of Man is come to seek and to save 
that which was lost." Zaccheus was a poor lost sheep, and Jesus had 
found him and had brought him home, and the angels were rejoicing 
over him, though the Phari r ees were murmuring. 




ZACCHEUS IX THE SYCAMORE TREE. 



The Wonderful Story of Lazarus. 

Before Jesus came to Jerusalem, He lived for a little while in a 
very quiet little place near the River Jordan. 



MY MOTHER'S- BIBLE STORIES. 377 

While hidden there He received a message from two of His 
dearest friends. It was Martha and Mary who sent the message. 
This was all they said : 

" He whom Thon lovest is sick." 

Jesus knew that it was their brother Lazarus who was sick, for 
He loved him very much. 

Two days afterward He crossed the River Jordan with His 
disciples, and went to Bethany. The disciples were afraid to go 
so near Jerusalem. But Thomas said, " Let us go that we may die 
with Him." 

When Jesus came to Bethany He found that Lazarus had been 
dead four days. He knew this without being told. He had not 
come sooner, on purpose that He might raise Lazarus from his 
grave after he had been dead a long time. 

Martha and Mary waited and longed for Jesus to come. 

Four days passed, and at last Jesus came. 

Martha and Mary did not think that He would make Lazarus 
alive again, for he had been dead so long : so they sat upon the 
ground and cried. 

When Martha heard that Jesus was on the road a little way 
off, she came to Him and said, " If You had been here, my brother 
had not died ; and even now You could make him alive." 

Then Jesus said, " Your brother shall rise again." 

"Yes," said Martha, "I know he will rise again at the last 
day, when all the dead people arise." 

Martha was afraid that Jesus would not choose to make Lazarus 
alive soon ; but she knew that He was able to do it. 

She went back to the house, and found Mary still sitting on 
the ground, and a great many friends around her. 

Martha whispered in her ear, and told her that Jesus wanted 
to speak to her. So Martha and Mary went together, and found 
Jesus waiting for them on the road. 

Mary's friends went with her, and they cried; and Mary cried 
very much indeed ; and when she saw Jesus she fell down at His 
feet and said, " Lord, if You had been here, my brother had not died." 



378 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



Jesus was very sorry to see her so unhappy, and to see so many 

people crying : He felt very sad indeed, and He sighed very deeply. 

Jesus does not like to see any one in trouble, He is so kind. 

Then Jesus said, " Where have you put Lazarus ?" 

Martha and Mary and their friends said, u Come and see ; " and 

they showed Him the way. As Jesus walked along, the tears 




THE RAISING OF LAZARUS. 

And when He thus had spoken, He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus come, forth. 
And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot wilh graveclothes; and his 
face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him 
go.— ST. John xi: 43, 44. 

rolled down His cheeks. At last they came to the grave. It was 
a cave in the rocks, and a very large stone had been rolled 
before it. 

Then Jesus said, "Take away the stone." 

Martha thought Jesus was going to look at Lazarus lying 
dead ; and she said, " Do not go in : his flesh has a bad smell by 
this time. He has been dead four days." But Jesus told her to 




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3 8o MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

believe that He could make him alive. They then rolled away the 
stone. 

Then Jesus lifted up His eyes to His Father in heaven and 
thanked him for helping Him to do wonderful things. 

A great many people were standing by, looking at Jesus, and 
wondering what He would do. 

Poor Martha and Mary were longing to see Lazarus alive again. 

Then Jesus spoke loud and said, " Lazarus, come forth." 

Lazarus heard, though he was dead ; for the dead hear the 
voice of Jesus. He got up and walked to the door of the cavern. 
His hands were tied with cloths, and his feet wrapped round with 
cloths, and a cloth was over his face. 

But Jesus said, " Undo the cloths." 

How pleased Martha and Mary must have been to see his face 
again ! How they must have thanked the Lord Jesus for His 
kindness ! 

The raising of Lazarus was the greatest of all Christ's miracles. 

Many of the people who saw this miracle believed on Jesus, 
but others went and told the Pharisees. 



Mary and the Precious Ointment. 

The Pharisees met together to make new plans to kill Jesus. 

As it was not yet the time for Him to die, He went and hid 
Himself in a village near the River Jordan. 

The feast of the Passover was now almost come. Many people 
from the country came to Jerusalem. They expected to find Jesus 
there. As they stood together in the temple, they said to one 
another, " What do you think? Will He come to the feast?" 

They were afraid He would not come ; because they knew that 
the Pharisees intended to kill Him. 

And did Jesus come to the Passover ? Yes, He did ; for that 
was His time to die. Only a week before His death He came ta 
Bethany. 







A.RY ANOINTING THE FEET OF JESUS. 



(380 



382 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

That village was nearly two miles from Jerusalem. 

At Bethany Jesus saw again that little family, — Martha, Mary 
and Lazarus. But He did not sup with them that evening. 

There was a man in Bethany named Simon. He had once 
been a leper. He now made a supper, and invited Jesus and His 
disciples. He invited Lazarus also. Numbers of people came to 
Bethany that evening to see Lazarus who had been raised from the 
dead, and Jesus who had raised him. 

Martha was there, but not sitting at the table. She waited on 
her Lord. 

Where was Mary ? 

She came in during supper-time with a box or bottle in her 
hand. It was made of a beautiful white stone called alabaster, and 
it was filled with a delicious scent made of a plant called spikenard. 

As the bottle was sealed up she could not open it, so she broke 
off the neck, and poured the sweet ointment on the head of Jesus. 

Then she knelt down and anointed His feet as He lay on the 
couch, and wiped them with her long hair. 

The whole house was filled with the sweet smell of this oint- 
ment, and Jesus was pleased with this proof of Mary's love. But 
one man sitting at the table was much displeased. That man was 
Judas Iscariot. He said, — 

" Why was this ointment wasted ? Why was it not sold and 
the money given to the poor? It might have been sold for three 
hundred pence." 

And could he think any ointment too precious to be poured 
upon Jesus ? Though this bottle was worth nearly fifty dollars of 
our money, it was not too good for the Son of God. But Judas 
wanted the price, because he kept the purse where all the disciples 
put their money, and he was a thief, and often stole money out of 
that purse for himself. 

Jesus knew why he spoke against Mary, and He took her part 
and said, — 

" Trouble her not, for she hath kept this ointment for My 
burial. The poor you have always with you, and you can do them 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



383 



good whenever you like ; but Ale ye have not always. She has 
done what she could, and wherever My word is preached, what she 
has done shall be told." 

This has come true ; everybody who reads the history of Jesus, 
hears of Mary's anointing Him. 

In less than a week afterward Jesus was buried. 

Mary must have known that He was soon going to die and be 
buried, for she had so often sat at His feet and heard His word. 



Christ's Royal Entrance into Jerusalem. 

You have heard how Jesus sat at supper in the house of Simon 
the leper. 

The next day he got ready to enter Jerusalem. He could 
easily have walked into the city, for it would have been a short 
walk of less than two miles. 

But he chose to ride upon an ass, because God had said a long 
while before, that the Saviour when He came should ride upon 
an ass. 

So on the first day of the week, He said to two of His disciples, 
" Go to the next village, and you will find an ass tied there and 
her colt with her. Loose them and bring them to me. If any one 
asks you why you loose them, say, ' The Lord hath need of them,' 
and the owner will let you have them." 

So the tw6 disciples set out, and they soon saw two asses tied 
up by the way, as if to be hired. 

They began to loose the asses, as Jesus had directed them, 
when the owner saw them, and asked why they did so ; and the 
disciples auswered, " The Lord hath need of them." Then the 
owner let the asses be taken away. 

The disciples brought them to Jesus. 

Then the disciples spread their clothes on the colt, and set 
Jesus upon it, and it went quietly along with Jesus, though no one 
had ever ridden upon it. 



384 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

A multitude of people followed Jesus as He rode, and spread 
their garments on the ground for the ass to tread upon, and cut 
down branches from the palm-trees and strewed them on the way. 
Thousands of voices shouted and sang : 

"Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord!" 

Such songs have seldom been heard on earth as were heard 
that day. 

But there were men who felt no joy. They did not like to 
hear Jesus praised. These men were the Pharisees. They made 
up their minds to kill Jesus as soon as possible, though they had 
not yet decided how they should do it. 

They would have killed Lazarus if they could, because it was 
through his being raised from the dead that so many people 
believed on Jesus. 

Were not these men like Satan who was a murderer from the 
beginning ? 



Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem. 

As Jesus rode along He came to the edge of Mount Olivet. 
From that place He could see Jerusalem in all its beauty. 

He stopped to look at the lovely city, and as He looked the 
tears flowed down His cheeks. 

Why did He weep at the sight of the city? W r as it because 
He thought of the cruel way in which He was going to be treated 
in that city ? 

Oh, no, He was not weeping for Himself, but for the people 
who were going to crucify Him. 

He thought of the punishment that God would make them suffer. 

He spoke to the city as if it could understand, and said: 

" Thine enemies shall come one day and dig a deep ditch 
around thee, to prevent people getting out, and shall throw down 
thy walls upon the ground, and lay low thy children." 

What love Jesus showed in weeping for the men who were 
going soon to kill Him ! 




PITY FOR THE UNFORTUNATE. 



(385) 



386 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Then Jesus went on His way, and entered Jerusalem in the 
midst of the joyful multitude. The people in the city heard the 
shouts in the streets, and cried out : " Who is this ? " 

The multitude answered, " This is Jesus, the prophet of 
Nazareth ! " 

They did not say He was the Son of God, for very few 
believed on Him. 

Jesus went first to the temple. Then He got off the ass, and 
entered the first court, where Gentiles might worship as well as Jews. 

There he found a number of sheep and oxen, and cages full 
of doves ; and men sitting by tables changing large pieces of money 
into many little pieces. He was much displeased with the men 
for selling animals and changing money. He drove them all out 
with their animals, and He overset the tables, so that the money 
rolled on the ground. 

He did not overset the cages of the doves, but He told the sellers 
to take them away. 

He knew that it was for sacrifices that the animals were sold; 
but He knew also that the temple was not the proper place for 
selling or for buying, and He said : 

" My Father has said, ' My house shall be a house of prayer 
for all nations,' and you have made it a den of thieves." 

The sellers cheated in selling, and so were thieves. 

It was wonderful that the traders went out when Jesus sent 
them ; but they had heard of His miracles, and they w T ere afraid 
of Him. 

When they were gone there came in blind people, groping 
their way, and lame people, leaning on their sticks ; and Jesus cured 
them all. 

And sweet young voices were heard singing, " Hosanna to the: 
Son of David." 

Hosanna means, " Lord, save us." 

These children believed in Jesus as their Saviour. 

The priests said very angrily to Jesus : 

" Do you hear what these children are sa}nng ? " 




(3»7) 



388 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Jesus answered, " Yes. And have you never read, ' Out of the 
mouth of babes God brings the best praise ? ' " 

What a comfort it is for children to think that God likes 
their praises the best of all ! 

It was now evening ; — Jesus looked around about on all things 
in the temple, and then left the city, and went back to Bethany 
with His disciples. 

That night He slept in Bethany. We do not know in what 
house He slept, whether in the house of Martha, or in the house 
of Simon the leper, or in some other faithful man's house. 



Story of the Widow and Her Mite, 

It was now the last week of Jesus' life on earth. 

He taught in the temple in the day, and at night He went 
to the Mount of Olives. 

The last day that He was in the temple He told His enemies 
that they were soon going to be punished. 

He cried out, " O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have 
gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens 
under her wings ; and ye would not ! " 

When a hen sees a hawk in the air, ready to pounce upon her 
chickens, she calls them to come under her wings for safety. 

How had Jesus called the Jews to come to Him ? 

He had often said, " Believe on Me, and I will save you from 
Satan and from death." 

He had often said, " If you believe that I come from God you 
shall never die." But they would not believe on Him, they would 
not come to Him, and now they would soon perish. 

Jesus went and sat in a court of the temple, where there 
were many large chests, into which people put what money 
they pleased. 

The money was used by the priests in buying animals for 
sacrifices, and incense, and oil, and all that was wanted for the 
temple. 



390 MY MOTHER'S BIBEE STORIES. 

Many of the rich Pharisees came and pnt in large sums of 
money. Jesus could see their hearts and He knew they were proud 
of their gifts and liked to be praised. 

At last a poor widow came and threw in two mites, which 
make half a cent. 

Jesus knew that this was all the money that she had. It 
might have been the wages of one day's work, and would buy as 
much as fifteen cents would buy now. That poor woman may have 
had to go without food for one day ; but she did not mind, for she 
loved God, and gave the money from her heart. 

Jesus was much pleased with what she had done, and He called 
His disciples around Him, that He might speak about her. 

He said : " That poor widow has given more than all the rich 
men ; for after they had given much they had much left, but she 
cast in all that she had." 

This poor widow was the last person that Jesus noticed in the 
temple, as far as we know. Does this not show how much Jesus 
loves the poor ? After praising her, He left the temple, never to 
enter it again till He should be brought there as a prisoner. 



The Evening on the Mount of Olives. 

As Jesus went out of the temple, and passed through its beau- 
tiful courts, one of the disciples said to Him : 

" See what large and fine stones these are here." 
They were indeed large and fine blocks of marble, some were 
as big as a little room. 

But Jesus seemed sad as He looked at them and said : 
" Verily, I say unto you, The day will come when all these 
stones will be thrown down, and not one shall be left above another." 
When He got to the Mount of Olives, He sat upon the side 
of the mount, and looked toward Jerusalem on the opposite hills. 
There He saw the beautiful temple like a mountain of snow, tinged 
with gold, rising up above the other fine buildings. 




(39i) 






392 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Four of His disciples came to Him as He sat. They were 
favorite disciples. Their names were Andrew, with the brother he 
once brought to Jesus — Simon Peter ; James with his brother John, 
the most beloved of all the twelve. These four wanted to hear 
more about the throwing down of the stones of the temple. They 
wanted also to know when Jesus would come again. 

That evening He told them how the enemies would come in a 
few years to destroy Jerusalem and the temple. He said: "There 
will be great anger from God upon these people, and some will be 
killed by the swords of their enemies, and the rest will be taken 
prisoners and carried away to other countries, and the heathen will 
tread down Jerusalem for many years." 

All these things which Jesus spoke of have happened. The 
Romans were the nation who came to punish Jerusalem. After 
them the Turks came, and they have it still ; and they have built 
a temple to Mahomet where once God's temple stood. At this day 
the enemies of God are treading down Jerusalem, and the Jews are 
wandering about in all lands, far from their own city. Many jews 
are in America. 

Then Jesus spoke to the four disciples about His coming at the 
end of the world. 

He said: " One day men shall see the Son of Man coming in a 
cloud with great power and glory." 

But He did not tell them when He would come, for He said: "No 
man knows what day, or what hour the Son of Man will come; nor 
do the angels know that day — only My Father." 

He told them not to delight in eating and drinking, and things 
of this world ; but to watch and to pray. This was His last word, — 
"Watch!" 

Judas Betrays His Master. 

During the last week of the Lord's life, He spent His nights on 
Mount Olivet. 

On one of those nights the chief priests and scribes came 
together to lay a plan for killing Him. 




(393) 



394 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

They assembled in the country house of the high-priest. It was 
amongst green fields, and rocks, and hills that the house was built, 
just outside Jerusalem, but not the same side as Mount Olivet. 

These priests and scribes were very rich and great men, they 
were like lords in grandeur and splendor. Yet they were the 
children of Satan. 

They said to each other: "How can we get hold of Jesus of 
Nazareth ? " 

One said : " We cannot seize Him in the day while He is 
teaching in the temple ; for the people are so fond of Him that 
they would not let us." 

Another said : " We must find out where He goes at night, 
and suddenly come upon Him, and carry Him off in the dark." 

Another said : " But who will tell us where He goes at night ?" 

Another said : " Let us offer a reward to any one who will 
come and tell us. Let us promise to give him some money." 

So these wicked men made known in Jerusalem, that they 
would reward any one who would show them where Jesus went at 
night. 

Judas Iscariot heard of the reward. He loved money and had 
often stolen some out of the disciples' purse. 

A few days before he had been very angry with Mary for 
pouring precious ointment on the feet of Jesus, instead of selling 
it and giving him the money to keep. But Jesus had praised Mary. 

Then Judas had grown more angry. Satan put the horrible 
thought into his heart, "I will promise to show the priests where 
my Master goes at night, and so I shall get a great deal of money." 

So he went to them and said : " What will you give me, and 
I will deliver Him to you ? " 

The wicked men felt very glad when they heard Judas say 
these words. 

They promised to give Judas thirty pieces of silver. 

Judas could not tell them yet at what hour he should come 
to fetch them ; but he promised to watch for a time when the 
people were not near. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 395 

Very soon the time came. The next day was Thursday. In 
the morning Jesus stayed at Bethany. 

His disciples knew that the Lord would eat the Passover that 
evening in Jerusalem ; but they did not know in what house He 
would eat it. 

So they came to ask Him. 

Jesus desired Peter and John to go together to the city, aud 
to walk along the streets till they met a man carrying a jug; then 
to go after him, till the man went into a house, and then to ask 
the master of that house for a room. 

He told them to say to the master of the house : 

" The Lord saith unto thee, I will keep the Passover at thy 
house with My disciples." 

Jesus told Peter and John that the master of the house would 
lend them a room. 

It all happened as Jesus had said. 

Peter and John got everything ready in that room. 

The chief food at that feast was a lamb. 

It was to be roasted in an oven, and it was to be eaten with 
bitter herbs and a sort of bread called unleavened bread. 

All these things Peter and John made ready. They also pro- 
cured jugs of water and cups of wine. 

When all was ready they returned to Bethany, and told their 
Master. 



The Feast of the Passover. 

It was on Thursday evening that Jesus walked for the last 
time to Jerusalem before He died. 

He had walked many times along the green fields of Olivet, but 
now He should tread them no more as a sorrowful man. 

Peter and John showed the other Apostles in what house they 
had prepared the feast. 

They all went up a few steps, which led to the upper room, where 
the supper was spread. 



396 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Jesus knew that this was the last supper He should eat with His 
Apostles before He was killed. 

The roasted lamb was on the table, and the Lamb of God would 
soon be on the cross. 

There were seats around the table on which Christ and His 
Apostles could lie down ; for this was the custom of the country. 

John found a place close to Jesus. 

He rested his head upon the Lord's bosom as he lay. 

He knew that Jesus loved him most of all. 

But there was a dispute among the Apostles that evening about 
who should be the greatest in the kingdom of God; for they still 
thought that Jesus would soon become King in Jerusalem, and shine 
there in all His glory, as He had once shone upon the holy mountain. 

Jesus told them again how wrong it was to desire to be great, 
instead of being willing (as He was) to serve every one. 

The time to begin supper was now come. 

But before the Lord broke the bread He rose, and took off His 
loose upper garment, and wrapt a long towel around His waist. 

Next He poured water from a jug into a basin, and then stooping 
low upon the ground, He began to wash His disciples' feet, and to 
wipe them with the towel around His waist. 

Some of the disciples let Him wash their feet, but when Jesus 
came to Peter, he said : 

u Lord, dost Thou wash my feet ? " 

Peter thought he was not worthy to be washed by Jesus. 

He thought Jesus too great and glorious to wash his feet. 

Jesus answered, " What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt 
know soon." 

Yet Peter still thought that his Lord ought not to stoop so very 
low, and he said again, " Thou shalt never wash my feet." 

Then Jesus said, 

" If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me." 

Peter could not bear the thought of having no part with Jesus, 
so he said, " Wash not my feet only, but my hands and my head." 

Jesus said to all His disciples, " Ye are all clean, all but one." 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 397 

That one was Judas. 

He had never been washed in Christ's blood by believing in Him. 

Yet Jesus washed his feet, as well as the feet of all the others. 

When He had done, He took off the towel and put on His own 
garments, and sat down to tell the disciples why He had washed 
their feet. 

He had promised Peter to tell him the reason soon. 

The reason was that He wished to set them an example of love 
and humility. 

He plainly said, "If I, your Lord and Master, have washed 
your feet, ye ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given 
you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." 

People in this country do not wash their feet in company, 
because they wear shoes ; but there are many things we may do for 
the poor and sick, if we wish to be like Christ, and to please Him. 

I have heard of a child who used to pick up sticks for the poor. 

I have seen children making clothes for little babies, and knitting 
shawls for old women. 

I have known children who saved their money to buy things 
for the poor. 

There are children who like to take broth or pudding to the 
cottages of the poor ; to bring their old toys to sick children. 



Jesus Accuses Judas of His Treachery. 

After washing the disciples' feet, Jesus sat down to supper. 

He then gave thanks and poured out a cup of wine, and gave it 
to His disciples to drink, saying : 

'' Share it among you." 

While the disciples were eating and drinking, Jesus looked 
very sorrowful. 

What troubled Him most at that time was — not the thought 
of His own pain in dying, — but the thought of Judas' wickedness. 

He said, "Verily, verily, one of you shall betray me." 

Now all the disciples were very sorrowful. 



398 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

They all began to say, Is it I ? Is it I ? Is it I ? 

Jesus replied, " He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, 
the same shall betray me." 

But several hands were then dipping their morsels of bread 
with Jesus in the dish, so no one knew which it was that would 
betray his Lord. 

Then Jesus said, " Woe unto that man by whom the Son of 
Man is betrayed. It had been good for that man if he had not 
been born." 

Then the disciples longed still more to know whom Jesus spoke 
of, and they looked at each other, wondering which it could be. 

Simon Peter, seeing his friend John leaning on the bosom of 
Jesus, made him a sign to ask Jesus, and John whispered gently to 
his Lord, " Lord, who is it? " 

Jesus replied, " He it is to whom I shall give the sop after I 
have dipped it." 

Then he dipped a piece of bread in the dish and gave it to Judas. 

When Judas had eaten the bread Satan entered again into his 
heart. 

Satan had entered once before into his heart to make him strong 
to go to the priests and agree to show them where Jesus went at 
night. 

And now the night was come, Satan entered into him again to 
make him strong to do the wicked thing he had promised. 

Judas had now the courage to ask, " Is it I ? " He well knew 
what the answer would be. 

Jesus answered, " It is you. Do quickly what you mean to do." 

The other disciples heard these words, but no one understood 
them, except Judas. 

They thought that the Lord desired Judas to go quickly and 
buy things for the other days of the feast, or else to give something 
to the poor ; for it was Judas who used to spend the money for the 
rest, as he took charge of the purse. 

But Judas understood what Jesus meant, and he went straight 
to the palace of the high-priest. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 399 

He did not go to his country-house, but to a much finer palace 
in Jerusalem, where the high-priest used often to sit as a judge. 

How glad were the high-priest and the other priests and elders 
to see Judas come again, and to hear him say, 

"This very night I will bring you to my Master. He is going to 
the garden near Olivet. I will go up to Him and kiss Him to show 
}*ou which He is." 

They had much to do that evening in getting a number of 
people together, and in finding swords and sticks for them to carry 
in their hands. 

They were much afraid lest, after all, Jesus should get away, as 
He had often done before. 

But now His hour was come. 



Jesus Rebukes Peter. 

When Judas had left the room, Jesus began to talk with His 
disciples very tenderly and kindly, because He wanted to comfort 
them in their sorrow. He said, " Little children, yet a little while I 
am with you ; but ye cannot come where I am going." 

Peter did not know where Jesus was going. He thought he 
could go with his Master everywhere ; and he wondered at hearing 
Him say, " Ye cannot come." 

None of the disciples quite understood what Jesus meant, but 
Peter was the most ready to ask the Lord anything ; so he said, 
" Lord, whither goest Thou ? " 

Jesus replied, " Thou canst not follow Me now to the place 
whither I am going, but thou shalt follow Me some day." 

Then Peter thought that Jesus must be going to die ; and he 
said, " Why cannot I follow Thee now ; I will lay down my life for 
Thy sake!" 

It was loving of Peter to feel ready to die with Jesus ; but he 
did not know his own heart. He thought himself much braver than 
he really was; so Jesus gave him this solemn warning: "Wilt 



400 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

thou lay down thy life for My sake ? Verily, verily, I say unto you, 
the cock shall not crow twice before thou hast denied Me thrice." 

Peter would not believe that he could do such a wicked thing as 
to deny his Lord. So he went on declaring more earnestly than ever, 
"Though I should die with Thee, yet would I not deny Thee." 
All the rest joined with hirn in declaring that they would rather 
die than forsake Him. 

Then Jesus told them that Satan wanted them, and meant to 
shake them with fear that night. 

Soon He turned to Peter, and said, " Simon, Simon, I have 
prayed for thee." 

How kind it was of Jesus to pray for Peter while He was so 
unhappy Himself; but Jesus never forgets any of His sheep, and 
He watches over them, when He knows the wolf is coming. 

Did Peter at last believe that he should deny his Lord? Oh, 
no ! he felt sure he never should, even if all the rest ran away 
from their Master ; and he said, " Lord, I am ready to go with 
Thee to prison and to death." 



The Sacrament. 

It was a sorrowful supper that Jesus ate that night with His 
disciples. 

Toward the end of the supper Jesus took bread and blessed and 
brake it, and gave it to His disciples. As He gave it, He said : 

" Take, eat ; this is My body which is given for you." 

Did the disciples understand that the Lord's body would soon 
be broken or bruised on the Cross ? They had heard Him say 
long before, " I am the true bread that came down from heaven." 

Jesus said also, u This do in remembrance of Me." 

Jesus gave His disciples another cup of wine, besides the cup 
He had given them at the beginning of the supper. 

As He gave the cup He thanked God, and He said to His 
disciples, u Drink ye all of it ; for this is My blood which is shed 
for you for the forgiveness of sins." 




PETER'S DENIAL OF CHRIST 



402 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

People now meet together to eat bread and drink wine in 
remembrance of Jesus, because He said, u This do in remembrance 
of Me." 

Children are not allowed to come to the Lord's table. 

There are many grown-up people who do not wish to go to 
this supper. 

But those who love Jesus come to His supper and remember 
His death for their sins. 

Jesus saw how sad the disciples looked, as they ate and drank, 
and He said, " Let not your hearts be troubled; ye believe in 
God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many man- 
sions. I go to prepare a place for you." 

It is very sweet to know that there is so much room in God's 
house above. There is a mansion, or place for every one who 
loves Jesus." 

The disciples did not love one another much, though they 
loved their Lord. 

They often disputed together who should be the greatest in 
God's kingdom. 

Jesus told them how much He loved them. He said, " As the 
Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you." What great love the 
Father has to His Son ! Such love Jesus has for us. He has shown 
it by dying for us. Jesus then said to His disciples, " This is my 
commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you." This 
is the way to please Jesus, to love one another. 

Then Jesus made a great promise to His disciples. He had 
been a Comforter to them while He was with them, and now He 
said, " I will send you another Comforter." 

This Comforter was the Holy Ghost. 

It is He who changes men's hearts, and makes them holy like 
Jesus, and fills them with happiness. 

After making this great promise Jesus rose up from the sup- 
per and went down into the street. He was followed by His 
disciples, and He talked to them as they went along that evening. 
They passed through the streets for three miles. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



403 



During this last walk Jesus prayed for the last time with His 
disciples. He lifted up His eyes aud spoke to His Father in 
heaven, while His disciples listened. 

He prayed for them all — except Judas. For him He could not 
pray, because He knew he would be lost ; but for all the rest He 
prayed that they might be with Him in glory. 

After this long, last prayer, they passed over the bridge that led 
across the narrow stream of Kedron; and they reached the gate of 
Gethsemane. This was a garden to which Jesus had often gone in 
past days, and so Judas knew the place, and could lead the enemies 
to the spot. 



The Agony in the Garden. 

Jesus entered the garden of Gethsemane in the evening. 

There were olive-trees in the garden. 

He said to eight of his disciples : 

" Sit here, while I go and pray a little further on." 

There were now only three disciples with Him. They were 
Peter, with the two brothers, James and John. 

He took these three with Him further on in the garden. They 
were His favorite disciples. They had once seen His glory on the 
mount. Now they were to see His agony in the garden. 

While He was walking with them He felt very sorrowful. It 
was our sins that made Him feel so very, very sad. 

He told His three friends how He felt; and He asked them to 
stay near Him and watch with Him and pray. 

Then He left them, and went a little further on, and threw 
Himself down on His knees, bending His face toward the ground, 
and He began to pray. 

Oh, how earnestly He prayed. 

He said, u O My Father, if Thou be willing, take away this 
cup from Me ! Yet not My will, but Thine be done ! " 

What was the cup He spoke of? 



404 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

It was the cup of sorrow for our sins ; and no one can tell 
how very bitter it was to drink ; but the Father could not take it 
away ; for He had promised that His Son should drink it ; and 
His Son had promised long ago to drink it, and He could not 
break His word. 

But who is this coming down from heaven, so bright and so 
glorious ? It is an angel. He comes to comfort his Lord. 

The angel had once seen his Lord in glory, and now He sees 
Him groaning upon the ground, and bathed in His own blood ; 
for Jesus was in so great an agony of pain, that the blood came 
out of His skin, and fell down in great drops upon the cold 
earth. But still He prayed — the more pain He felt, the more He 
prayed. 

The angel did not stay long with his suffering Lord. 

Jesus rose up from prayer and went back to the three disciples, 
but He found them fast asleep. 

They awoke when He came. Jesus spoke first to Peter, and 
said: 

" Simon, why sleepest thou ? Couldest thou not watch with 
Me one hour ? " 

Jesus wanted Peter to remember how he had promised to die 
with Him, and never to deny Him. 

He told all three to watch and pray, and He went away again. 

He spoke the same words in His prayer as before, and then 
returned to His three disciples, and found them asleep again. 

When He spoke to them they did not know what to answer. 

Then Jesus went away the third time and pra}^ed again ; and 
then returned and found the three disciples again asleep. 

But this time Jesus did not tell them to watch, for He knew 
that His enemies were coming immediately to seize Him. So He 
said to the three disciples: 

" The hour is come. Rise up, let us go ; he that betrayeth 
Me is at hand." 

And so indeed he was. Judas came up to his Lord, and kissed 
Him, as if he were pleased to find Him. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



405 



Jesus knew that he kissed Him to show the enemies which 
He was of the four, and He said : 

i% Judas, betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss?" 
Just behind this wicked man there came a great multitude. 
They brought with them lanterns, swords, .and great sticks. It 
was the chief priests and Pharisees who had sent these men to 




ANGELS MINISTERING TO JESUS. 

seize Jesus. Jesus went to meet His enemies, and said, " Whom 
do you seek?" They answered, "Jesus of Nazareth." 

He replied, "I am He! " 

Instantly they all went backward and fell to the ground ; Judas 
and all the rest. Nor would they have ever risen up again, if 
Jesus had not permitted them to do so. But He did let them rise, 
and they arose as bold and hard as before they fell. 

Again Jesus said : " Whom do ye seek ? " 



4°6 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Again they replied, " Jesus of Nazareth." 

Jesus answered, "I have told you that I am He." 

This time the men did not fall to the ground, but Jesus let 

them seize hold of Him, only He said first, " If you seek Me, let 

these go their way." 

Whom did Jesus mean by these f 

He meant the three disciples who were with Him. He asked 

that they might be allowed to go free. How kind to think of 

them in this hour of terror! 

The enemies were so well pleased to get hold of Jesus that 

they did not mind letting the disciples escape. They held Him 

very fast that He might not get away. 



Peter Draws His Sword in Defence of His Master. 

Peter might have run away when the multitude laid hold of 
Iris Master; but he wished to be brave and to stay and fight for 
Him. 

Jesus had allowed His apostles to take swords with them. 
They had only two between them, and Peter had one of these. 
He drew this sword out of its sheath, and struck a blow with it 
on a man who was seizing his Master. That man's name was 
Malchus, and he was the servant of the high-priest. 

Peter no doubt wanted to cut the man's head in two, but all 
he was able to do was to cut off his right ear. 

Peter might have got into much trouble for doing this, had 
not his Master stretched out His hand, and healed the man. This 
was the last use Jesus made of His hands before they were bound, 
and this was his last miracle — -healing an enemy. 

He said to Peter : " Put up thy sword in its sheath. Do you 
not know that if I were to pray to My Father He would send a 
great many angels to deliver Me ? But the cup which My Father 
hath given Me, shall I not drink it ?" 

Then Jesus spake to His enemies and said: "Are you come 
out as against a thief, with swords and staves to take Me ? Why 






MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 407 

did 3'ou not seize Me when I sat daily with yon in the temple 
teaching? " 

Jesus knew well the reason why they took Him now. It was 
because the hour was come for Satan to do his will, and to fight 
against Jesus. 

Now the enemies bind the blessed hands which had just 
healed the servant, and now they lead the Lamb of God to the 
slaughter. 

The way was very long from the garden to the palace of the 
high-priest. It was his great hall of judgment, and not the house 
where he lived ; for that was in the country. 

The chief priests and Pharisees did not sleep that night. 
They were all waiting for the blessed Lamb to be brought. Like 
hungry wolves, they thirsted for His blood. 

The tramping of feet is heard in the street, and the murmuring 
of voices. Jesus is led into the great hall where the cruel men 
are assembled. 

Peter saw the men lead his Master into the palace, and he 
longed to follow Him. 

But how should he get in ? 

He saw his friend John go in with Jesus — for the woman 
who kept the door knew that John was an acquaintance of the 
high-priest. But poor Peter stood outside, fearing he should never 
get in. 

Soon John came back and said to Peter : 

" I have spoken to the woman at the door, and she will let 
you in." 

Then Peter went in with John. They went into a great 
hall full of servants. Jesus was not in that room. He was in 
another room standing before His cruel judges — the priests and the 
Pharisees. 

It was cold in the hall that night, and the servants had 
lighted a fire in the middle of the room, and were standing near 
it warming themselves. 

Peter went to the fire and stood and warmed himself. 



408 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

He wanted to know what would become of his Lord, and he 
hoped that no one would find out who he was ; for he was afraid of 
being punished for being a disciple of Jesus. 

He had quite forgotten all he had said that night about dying 
with Jesus. 



The Trial and Mockery of Jesus. 

While Peter was warming himself by the fire, Jesus was standing 
before his judges. 

The high-priest Caiaphas was His chief judge. 

How sad were the looks of the Son of Man that night ! His 
body had been bathed in blood, His knees were weak and weary, and 
His face was worn by grief, and His eyes swollen by weeping. There 
never was a man so changed by sorrow. But His enemies felt no pity. 

The high-priest asked Him, " What have you taught the people?" 

Jesus answered, " I have always taught in the synagogues and 
in the temple, and those who heard Me know what I said. Why 
askest thou Me ? Ask them who heard Me." 

This was a right answer to make, for Jesus knew that the high- 
priest would not believe what He said. Yet a servant who stood by 
was so cruel as to strike Jesus with the palm of his hand, and to say, 
"Why do you answer the high-priest so?" 

The high-priest ought to have commanded that servant to go 
out ; but he was pleased with him for his wicked blow. 

Jesus meekly answered, " If I have spoken wrong, tell Me what 
it is; but if I have spoken right, why do you strike Me?" 

A great many persons now came into the room to witness against 
Jesus by saying they had heard Him speak wickedly about God and 
the temple. But these witnesses did not speak the truth, for one 
said one thing, and another just the contrary. It was a law of the 
Jews that witnesses were not to be believed unless two agreed in 
saying the same thing. 

When the witnesses had done speaking, the high-priest stood up 
and said to Jesus, — 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 409 

" What do you answer to the accusations of these men ?" 

But Jesus answered nothing. 

Then the high-priest said very earnestly, " I entreat Thee to tell 
us whether Thou art the Son of God." 

Jesus answered, " I am." 

When Jesus had spoken these words, there was great confusion 
and noise in the place ; for the high-priest pretended to be so unhappy 
that he tore his clothes ; and all the priests and Pharisees cried out, 
" He deserves to die." 

The}^ would have liked to stone him to death that moment ; but 
the Jews were not allowed to put people to death. The Romans had 
conquered the Jews and had sent a Roman judge to Jerusalem. It 
was the Roman judge who had the power to have people put to 
death. 

But where was the Roman judge that night? He was asleep 
in his bed, for it was now the middle of the night. The Roman 
judge would not sit on his seat to judge till the morning came. So 
there were many hours for Jesus to wait before He could be 
taken before that judge. The name of that judge was Pontius 
Pilate. 

And what became of Jesus during the rest of the night ? 

He was tormented by the servants who had charge of Him. 

They knew that people called Him a prophet, so the}^ mocked 
Him by putting a cloth over His eyes and then striking Him, and 
calling out, " Prophesy, who struck Thee ?" 

What horrid shouts of laughter must have filled the place* as 
they mocked Him ! 

They did worse still ; they were so bold and brutal as to spit in 
His face. 

Yet not one angr}^ word or look did He return for all these 
insults. He bore all like the Lamb of God. 

Let us love Him who bore the mockings of that night 
for our sakes ; and let us be ready to be mocked for His sake — if 
wicked men should do so — and let us copy His meekness and His 
patience. 



410 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Peter Denies His Master. 

Peter was now in the hall of the palace. 

At first he stood by the fire and warmed himself, and after- 
ward he sat down among the servants. 

While he was there the maid who kept the door came up to 
him, and fixed her eyes upon him (as if she wished to be sure 
that she made no mistake), and then she said to the servants 
around : " This man was also with Him." But Peter said, 
u Woman, I know Him not." 

The other servants believed the woman, and asked him, "Art 
not thou one of His disciples ? " 

One of the servants felt certain that he was (for this man 
was a relation of Malchus, whose ear Peter cut off) ; and he said, 
" Did not I see thee in the garden with Jesus ? " 

Peter denied most positively that he knew anything about 
Jesus. 

He now thought it would be best to go into the porch (or 
door-way) where no one might notice him. As he was going there, 
the cock crew. But this first crowing of the cock did not make 
Peter remember what his Lord had said. 

He had now denied Him once, for though he had spoken to 
several people, all he had said was nearly at the same time. 

Peter hoped not to be noticed in the porch ; but he was 
disappointed ; for while he was there, both a man and a maid 
declared he was one of the disciples ; and Peter grew so frightened 
that he did more than deny his Lord; he swore he did not know 
Him. 

As Peter found that he was noticed even in the porch, he 
thought he might as well return to the hall in the palace. 

There a dreadful sight met his eyes. 

His Lord was in the midst of the servants, being mocked, 
beaten, and blindfolded. 

Peter was more than ever afraid lest he should be seized by 
the servants ; so he tried to appear as if he did not care for his 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 411 

Lord, though in his heart he loved Him so fondly. He began to 
talk away, as if he were not sorry ; but his wa}^ of talking made 
the servants think he came from Galilee. Most of the disciples 
came from Galilee, and the people in Galilee spoke in a different 
tone of voice from those in Jerusalem. 

The servants thought that as Peter came from Galilee, he 
might be a disciple of Jesus ; and they said to him, "Surely, you are 
a Galilean, for your way of speaking betrays you." 

Peter saw that they thought he was a disciple, so he denied 
again that he knew Jesus. This was his third denial. Now Peter 
cursed as well as swore. 

In cursing, men wish all manner of harm to come upon them- 
selves, if what they say is not true. 

In the midst of this swearing and cursing, Peter heard the 
cock crow. 

He did notice this second crowing. At the same moment he 
looked toward the place where Jesus was standing among the ser- 
vants, being mocked, beaten, and spit upon. 

The Lord, who had heard everything, turned round and looked 
upon Peter. 

It was a look that made him remember that his Lord had said : 
" Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny Me thrice." It was a 
look that went to Peter's heart — it was a look so full of love and sorrow! 

Peter could not stand that look, and he went out into the porch 
again. He went there, not to hide himself, but to weep. He wept 
most bitter tears as he thought of what he had said. He felt he 
had been so ungrateful to his Saviour. — so mean, — so cowardly ! 

How could he hope ever to be forgiven ! 

If he had prayed in the garden, this might not have happened ! 



Pontius Pilate. 

Jesus spent one sad night in the high-priest's palace. 
The next place to which He was taken was the Jewish council 
or Sanhedrim. 



4 i2 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

There were seventy-two men who met together very often to 
judge people by the law of the Jews, bnt they had not the power 
to put any one to death. 

The seventy-two men were called honorable councillors. 

The high-priest was their chief. 

As soon as it was morning, very early, the honorable council- 
lors came together to sit as judges in a great hall. 

Jesus was led to this great hall near the temple. It was called 
the hall of the Sanhedrim. 

Jesus had to pass through many streets before he reached the 
temple gate. He passed through the temple courts, and entered 
the great hall of the Sanhedrim. 

How pale, how weary he must have looked as He stood before 
His seventy-two judges ! His great enemy, Caiaphas the high- 
priest, was one of the councillors. 

But Jesus had now His hands unbound ; it may be that the 
servants who mocked Him had unbound them. 

The council asked Him the same question as before, "Art Thou 
the Son of God ? » 

Jesus gave the same answer, " I am." 

Then the council burst into a rage, and said, " Now we have 
heard Him say with His own mouth that He is the Son of God." 

So they condemned Jesus to death. 

Thus He was twice condemned by the Jews ; first in the palace 
of Caiaphas, and then in the hall of the Sanhedrim. 

The Jews now determined to bring Him to the Roman judge, 
Pontius Pilate, and to have Him put to death. 

They thought it would be best to tell Pilate that Jesus had 
declared Himself a King, and would not obey the great king at 
Rome. 

This was their sly plan. For they thought that as Pilate was 
a heathen, he would not punish Jesus for saying He was the Son 
of God. 

They bound again the hands of Jesus, and then led Him to 
the Roman judgment hall. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 413 

A great crowd came with the prisoner. Most of the councillors 
and the chief priests with a multitude of servants hurried through 
the streets about seven in the morning. 

The last sorrowful day of our Lord's life on earth was now 
begun. 



Death of Judas the Traitor. 

Judas heard that Jesus had been condemned by the Sanhedrim 
near the temple. 

He had hoped that Jesus would not be condemned, for he did 
not wish PI i m to be killed. 

Why then had he betrayed Him to His enemies ? To get 
money. 

The love of money led him to do the worst deed that was ever 
committed. 

But could Judas enjoy his money now he had got it? 

No ! he wished to get rid of it, for he could not look at it 
without thinking of his wickedness. 

But what could he do with it ? 

He might have thrown it away. That would not do, for he 
wanted the priests to know how he hated their money. 

He thought he would return it to the chief priests and elders, 
who had given it to him. 

He knew where to find them. Some were still in their hall 
near the temple, — the hall of the Sanhedrim. 

Judas went there and found some of the priests. 

He offered them the money, saying : 

" I have sinned ; for I have betrayed the innocent blood." 

But they would not take it. 

They were not sorry for Judas, nor ashamed of their own 
wickedness. 

They said, "What is that to us?" 

Yet they could not take the money, because they knew it had 
been given to get a man killed, and so it was the price of blood. 



4H MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

As the priests would not put out their hands to receive the 
thirty pieces of silver, Judas threw them on the floor, and went 
away. The priests picked up the money, and then talked together. 

" What shall we do with these silver pieces ?" said they. " We 
cannot put them into the treasury to buy sacrifices, because they are 
the price of blood," said one. u What shall we do, then?" said another. 

At last one said, " We want a place to bury strangers in ; for 
we caunot bury Gentiles with our own people the Jews. There is 
a field to be sold — shall we buy it ?" 

" Do you mean," said another, " the potter's field, that is full 
of holes, out of which clay has been dug to make jars and jugs?" 

" Yes," said one ; " it is the potter's field that I mean." 

So they made haste to buy that field. It used to be called the 
potter's field, but now it had another name given to it, — " The 
Field of Blood," because it was bought with the price of blood. 

There was another reason for the horrible name. In that field 
Judas shed his own blood. He went to the field, tied a rope around 
his neck and hanged himself. 

We believe that he fastened this rope to a branch of a tree, 
and that the branch broke, and let Judas fall down a steep place ; 
for we know that he fell headlong, and that his bowels gushed out. 

Every one in Jerusalem heard of his horrible death, and called 
the place where he died, " The Field of Blood." 

Satan brought Judas to this miserable end by tempting him 
to sin, and then by driving him to despair. Judas ought to have 
sought forgiveness for his horrible crime ; but he had no faith, and 
he perished for ever. He went to his own place, even Satan's place, 
because he was Satan's child. His father's place was his own place. 



Pilate Tries to Save the Life of Jesus. 

The time has now come for Jesus to be brought before the great 
Roman judge, Pontius Pilate. 

He had already been twice judged, first in the palace of the 
high-priest, and next in the hall of the Sanhedrim. 






MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 415 

But in those places it was Jews who judged Hiui. He was 
now going to be judged by a Gentile. This Gentile was a heathen. 
He had been sent to Jerusalem by the great king at Rome, called 
Caesar, and he had the power to have people put to death, if he 
chose to do so. 

The Jews were very eager to have Jesus killed, and that was 
the reason the}' brought him to Pontius Pilate. 

The}^ brought Him with His hands bound, as a prisoner (for 
His hands had been unbound while He was mocked by the servants). 

A great many priests and councillors accompanied Jesus through 
the courts of the temple to the door of the judgment-hall close by. 

But when they arrived at the door the} T stopped and would 
not go in. The reason was that the judgment-hall belonged to 
heathens ; and the Jews thought that if they entered a heathen 
place their bodies would become unholy, and that they should not 
be able to keep the Passover during the seven days that it lasted. 

How careful these men were of their bodies ; but they never 
thought about their souls. 

When Pilate was told that the Jews would not come in, he 
went out to speak to them. 

There he saw the meek prisoner standing. Of all the pris- 
oners he had ever seen, he had never seen one like the gentle 
Jesus. 

Pilate asked the Jews, " What have you to say against this 
man ?" 

They replied, " If He were not a bad man, we should not 
bring Him to you." 

Pilate felt such pity for the prisoner that he did not like to 
judge Him; so he said, "Take Him away and judge Him your- 
selves." 

They answered, " We are not allowed to put any one to death." 

Then they began to accuse the innocent prisoner of all kinds 
of crimes. 

One said, " He goes about the country setting people against 
the great King Caesar, at Rome." 



416 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Another said, " He tells every one that He Himself is our 
king." 

As soon as Pilate heard that Jesus said He was a king, he 
wanted to speak to Him alone. 

So he went back to his judgment-hall, and desired his servants 
to bring Jesus in. 

When He was brought, Pilate said, " Art Thou the King of 
the Jews ?" Jesus answered, "I am." 

Then Jesus told Pilate that He was not like the kings of this 
world, who have soldiers to fight for them, but that He was a 
king who taught people the truth. 

Pilate wondered at His way of speaking, and he went out of 
the hall and said to the chief priests, " I find no fault in this man." 

This speech made the Jews fiercer than ever ; and they went 
on accusing Jesus of doing a great deal of harm. 

"He has gone about the whole land speaking against Caesar : 
He began by setting the people in Galilee against Caesar, and 
now he is come here." 

As soon as Pilate heard that word "Galilee," he remembered 
that Herod was the Governor of Galilee, and that Herod was now 
in Jerusalem. 

Pilate said, " As the prisoner comes from Galilee, I will send 
Him to Herod, the Governor of Galilee." Pilate did not want to 
condemn Jesus ; he wanted some one else to do it. That was his 
reason for sending Him to Herod. 

Jesus was led along the streets to Herod's palace. He had to 
go a great way along the streets, — all faint and weary as He was. 
, Herod's palace was the grandest house in Jerusalem. 

Herod was exceedingly glad when he heard that Jesus was 
come ; for he had long wanted to see Him. 

A great while ago he had heard of His miracles, and had 
thought He was John the Baptist risen from the dead. 

Now he hoped to see whether He really was John the Baptist, 
and he hoped to see Him do a miracle (for John had never done 
any miracles). 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 417 

Jesus was led into the room amongst a crowd of priests and 
scribes. 

Herod asked Him a great many questions. Perhaps he asked 
Him whether He was John the Baptist,— but this we do not know. 

He was much disappointed at getting no answers from Jesus. 

The priests and the scribes stood near — accusing Him of 
having done many wicked things : but Jesus answered them 
nothing. 

Then Herod and his soldiers mocked Him and dressed Him 
up in a white shining robe, and sent Him back to the judgment- 
hall. 

Pilate was sorry to see Him return, for he had hoped that 
Herod would have done something to Him, and that he should see 
Him no more. 



The Jews Ask for the Release of a Robber. 

Pilate was surprised to see Jesus so meek and so silent, while 
His enemies were so fierce and so violent. He was very anxious 
to set Him free, and he thought of a plan that he hoped would 
succeed. 

It was the custom for the Governor every year at the Passover 
to ask the Jews what prisoner he should release. 

He knew that the chief priests and Pharisees hated Jesus, 
but he hoped that the people still admired Him for His miracles. 

So he called all the people together in the street, and said, 
' k Which shall I release to you — Barabbas or Jesus ?" 

This Barabbas was a very bad man. 

He had refused to obey Caesar, and he had committed robbery 
and murder. 

Pilate tried to persuade the people to ask for Jesus, saying, 
" Shall not I release unto you the King of the Jews ?" 

The chief priests heard what Pilate said, and went about 
among the people, crying to set them against Jesus and to get 
them to ask for Barabbas. 
27 



418 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

While they were thus employed, Pilate ascended his judgment 
seat in the street, and sat down, waiting for the people's answer. 

At that moment a messenger appeared. He came from Pilate's, 
wife. 

41 Do nothing against the just man," said she, u for I have 
been very unhappy about Him last night in a dream." 

Pilate when he heard of the dream was still more anxious not 
to condemn Jesus. 

He called every one together, priests as well as people, and 
said, "Which of the two shall I release?" 

Then arose the horrible yell of ten thousand voices, saying, 
" Barabbas ! " 

But Pilate still would not yield. " What, then, shall I do with 
Jesus ?" he said. 

Another burst of wicked voices, and a cry, — " Crucify Him ! 
Crucify Him ! " 

Pilate tried once more to melt those cruel hearts, and asked, 
"What evil hath He done? I have not found that He deserves 
to die. Let me beat Him and set Him free." 

But the priests and the people answered, with still louder 
voices : 

" Crucify Him ! " 

Pilate felt that it would be very wicked to condemn Jesus, 
when he had done nothing. 

So he took some water in a basin, and washed his hands 
before all the people, saying, " I am innocent of the blood of this 
just person." 

But was he innocent ? and could water wash out the stain of 
guilt on his heart ? 

No ! he ought rather to have let the people and the priests- 
tear him in pieces than to condemn an innocent person. 

The people cried out, " His blood be upon us and upon our 
children." 

Then Pilate ordered Barabbas to be released, and gave up 
Jesus to be crucified. 




THE JEWS REJECT CHRTST. 



(419' 



42o MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

The Roman Soldiers Mock Jesus. 

Jesus was now condemned to be crucified. But before He was 
led out to His cross He was scourged. 

It was the cruel custom of the Romans to scourge before they 
crucified. 

So Jesus was fastened to a post by both His hands, and then 
His back was scourged by Roman soldiers. 

A scourge was far worse than a whip or a stick ; for it was 
made of knotted ropes and sharp little bits of the bones of oxen. 

Each stroke of the scourge brought blood, and left a bleeding 
stripe upon the back. 

Many, many strokes were given by the fierce soldiers — as many 
as could be given — without killing the fainting prisoner. 

When He had been scourged, He was taken by the soldiers 
into the great judgment-hall. 

Six hundred soldiers crowded around the bleeding and trembling 
sufferer. They had no pity for His bleeding stripes. Their delight 
was in savage mockery. 

They had heard Him called " The King of the Jews," and 
they thought it absurd and laughable that one so poor should be 
a king. 

So they set about mocking Him. 

They pulled off His blood-stained clothes, and dressed Him in 
purple and scarlet garments, such as kings wear. 

They took prickly branches or thorns and plaited a crown, 
and placed it on His head, and put a reed in His hand for a sceptre. 

Then they kneeled before Him, and said, " Hail (or rejoice), 
King of the Jews." 

Then they spat upon His face, and they. took the reed and beat 
Him on the head (to make the thorns pierce Him more) ; and 
they struck Him with their hands. 

Pilate found Jesus in the hall, bearing this cruel treatment 
without a murmur, and he thought it would melt the hearts of 
His cruel enemies if they could see Him as He then looked. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 421 

So be went out to the people and desired Jesus to be brought 
forth for them all to see. 

Jesus came, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. 

Pilate showed Him to the multitude, and said, kV Behold the 
Man ! » 

The people might perhaps have pitied their Saviour, but the 
chief priests and scribes cried louder than ever, " Crucify Him ! " 

Pilate answered, " I find no fault in Him. Take Him and 
crucify Him yourselves." 

Then the Jews replied, " He ought to die, because He made 
Himself the Son of God." 

Pilate had not been told this before, and he was more than 
ever afraid. 

He went on trying every way to release Jesus. 

But when he said, " Behold your King," the Jews answered, 
" Away with Him ! Crucify Him ! " 

" Shall I crucify your King?" asked Pilate. 

The chief priests replied, " We have no king but Caesar." 

Pilate, seeing that he could not save Jesus, took Him back 
into the hall. 

There the soldiers stripped Him of His kingly garments, and 
put on His own raiment ; and then they led Him away to be 
crucified. 



The Crucifixion. 

Now Jesus set out on His last earthly journey. 

His weak body was covered with bruises, blood, and stripes. 

He had passed the night without sleep or food ; He had been 
hurried about many miles along the streets ; He had been mocked 
and tormented in four places ; and had borne the abuse of men 
and the burden of our sins. 

He was now brought so low that He could hardly drag Him- 
self along; yet the soldiers in their cruelty placed upon His 
bleeding shoulders His heavy cross. 



422 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

He would have been crushed by these two great pieces of wood, 
and He would have died by the way, if His enemies had not 
looked out for some one to help Him. 

They were much too proud to bear the cross themselves ; but 
they met a man named Simon coming up from the country to 
Jerusalem, and they laid hold on him, and made him bear the 
cross after Jesus. Simon did not know then what an honor it was 
to bear the cross. 

There was not an angel in heaven who would not have flown 
down with joy to carry that cruel cross, to relieve Jesus of the 
weight. 

There was a troop of women among the crowd. They came 
weeping along the way. Jesus heard their cries, and spoke ten- 
derly to them. 

He said, " Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep 
for yourselves and for your children, for the days are coming when 
your children will say to the mountains, Fall on us, and to the 
hills, Cover us." 

A day was coming when the Jews would wish to be crushed 
under mountains sooner than bear their enemies' cruelty. 

Two prisoners were led with Jesus to be crucified. They were 
thieves, and they had done many wicked things. 

The immense multitude passed with Jesus through the gate of 
Jerusalem. 

It was the gate just on the opposite side to Mount Olivet and 
Gethsemane. 

On this side there was a place called Golgotha or Calvary. 

These words both mean the same thing, " The place of a 
skull." 

It was the place of death, in the midst of fields and gardens. 

Here they stopped. The soldiers gave Jesus a cup of wine mixed 
with a bitter stuff called gall, but He only tasted it, and refused 
to drink it. 

Then they stripped Him of His clothes, which once before they 
had taken off when they mocked Him. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



423 



The}- laid the cross upon the ground and stretched the Lord 
upon it. Four soldiers hammered nails into His hands and feet, to 
fasten Him to the cross ; then they lifted up that heavy cross, and 
with a violent jerk placed one end in a hole in the ground. 

The thieves were treated in the same way. The cross of Jesus 
was in the midst between the crosses of the thieves. Pilate had 




THK CRUCIFIXIO 



Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary 
the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, 
and the disciples standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, 
behold thy son!— St. John xix: 25, 26. 

written these words on a label, and had desired it to be placed over 
the head of Jesus : "This is the King of the Jews." 

The Jews read this writing as they passed by. 

The chief priests were so much displeased that they said to 
Pilate, "Why did you write ' The King of the Jews?' You ought 
to have written, ' He said He was the King of the Jews.' " 

But Pilate replied, " What I have written I have written." 

Pilate meant that he would not change what he had written ; 
for he really believed that Jesus was a king, though he had not 



424 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

the courage to keep to the truth, and to die rather than condemn 
the innocent. 



The Agony on the Cross. 

Before the Lord was stretched upon the cross, the soldiers 
stripped Him of His clothes. 

There was His long tunic that He had worn close to His body. 
This must have been stained with bloody sweat. The four soldiers 
who nailed His hands and feet to the cross tore the tunic into 
four parts, and each soldier took one. 

Then there was His upper garment, called His coat or vesture ; 
but it was more like a cloak than a coat. 

This vesture was a very curious garment, for it was made of 
one piece, and it had no seam or joining. Perhaps some of those 
women who loved Him had woven it for Him. 

The soldiers thought it would be a pity to tear this valuable 
garment ; so they said to each other, " Let us not tear it, but let 
us cast lots for it." 

We are not told in what way they cast lots. Nor do we know 
what the soldier who got the garment did with it. Perhaps he 
wore it himself. We shall never see it, because it has been worn 
out long ago and thrown away. 

The Lord had nothing in this world but His clothes, for He 
was very poor. Even His clothes were taken from Him before He 
died. 

It was nine in the morning when He was crucified. 

The first word He spoke on the cross was a prayer to His 
Father. It was a prayer for His murderers. 

" Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." 

What love it showed to pray for those who had just nailed 
Him to the cross ; and for all who were now mocking Him ! 

Calvary was very near Jerusalem, and numbers of people were 
always passing by. 

These people mocked Jesus as they passed by. 







THE FRIENDS OF JESUS WATCHING THE PROCESSION TO THE CROSS. 



(425) 



426 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

The soldiers mocked Him. The rulers mocked Him. The 
priests mocked Him. Even the thieves mocked Him. 

And what did these mockers say ? They said, " If Thou be 
the Son of God come down from the cross." 

The mockers w r agged their heads and pouted out their lips, to 
show how much they despised the crucified Saviour. 

All this while, Jesus never answered a word to all the abuse 
and railing of the multitude. 

One thief left off mocking and began to pray. He could not 
kneel, he could not turn his head towards Jesus, he could not lift 
np his hands in prayer, he could only speak ; and this was his 
prayer : 

" Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom." 

That thief had faith to believe that Jesus was a king and 
would come one day to reign in glory. 

Jesus answered, " Verily, I say unto thee, this day shalt thou 
he with Me in Paradise." 

He did not let the thief wait for the day of His coming again. 
He promised to make him happy that very day by taking him to 
Paradise, where He Himself was going very soon. 



Death of Jesus. 

There stood by the cross of Jesus a few of His friends. Some 
of these were women. Three had the name of Mary. 

First, there was Mary the mother of Jesus ; next, there was 
Mary the mother of the two Apostles, James and Jude ; and last 
of all there was Mary Magdalene, out of whom the Lord had once 
cast seven devils. 

These three Marys loved Jesus exceedingly. 

His mother Mary had loved Him the longest, and now she 
felt grief pierce her heart like a sword (as old Simeon had said it 
would, when Jesus was a babe). 

By the side of this blessed Mary stood the most beloved apostle, 
John. Jesus looked down from His cross upon His mother. 




AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS. 



(427) 



428 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



He felt how lonely she would be when He was gone (as her 
husband Joseph must now have been dead). He knew that John 
would be as kind as a son to her. So He said to His mother, 
while He looked towards John, " Behold thy Son." 
And He said to John, " Behold thy mother." 
John understood that the Lord had given him His own mother 
to be his mother, and so he took her afterwards to his own home 
that he might take care of her. 

It was now twelve o'clock in the day, when the sun is generally 
very hot and bright. But in a moment all the brightness was 
turned into darkness. This darkness hid the face of the Son of 

God from His enemies. For three hours 
that blessed face was hid from the sight 
of men. 

Then a voice was heard crying out 
in an agony of grief, " My God, My 
God, why hast Thou forsaken Me ?" 

It was the voice of Jesus, speaking 
to His Father. 

Had His Father really forsaken 
Him ? No ; He was always with His 
well-beloved Son ; but He seemed to 
hide His face, because Jesus was then 
bearing our sins. Soon He spoke again, saying, " I thirst." 

Pain of body makes people thirsty, and Jesus was so full of pain. 

There was a basin of vinegar standing near, for the soldiers 

to drink. A soldier, who heard the Saviour's cry, dipped a sponge 

into the vinegar, and stuck it on a branch of hyssop at the end 

of a reed, and in this way made it reach up to His lips. 

But this vinegar was mixed with bitter stuff called gall, and 
the Saviour only tasted it, and then cried out, " It is finished." 

The last words of Jesus were, " Father, into Thy hands I com- 
mend My spirit." He did not feel at the last as if God had 
forsaken Him. Then He bowed His head and died. It was three 
o'clock in the afternoon. 




THE BASIN OF VINEGAR. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 429 

Jesus had been six hours hanging on that cross in agony 

Now all His pain was over, and His joy was begun. 

All sinners ma}' come to Jesus and be saved ; for Jesus came 
into the world to save sinners. 

Dear children, He loves you. Go to Him, and thank Him for 
dying for you. He will hear your little prayer and He will save you. 



The Seven Sayings of Jesus on the Cross. 

I. 

Jesus prayed for His murderers. 
Father, forgive them, for they know not what the}' do. 

II. 
He saved a penitent. 
To-day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise. 

III. 
He gave His mother to Jo J in. 
Behold thy son ! Behold thy mother ! 

These three sayings were about others. 
The last four sayings were about himself- 

IV. 

He complained to God of His spirit 's agony. 
My God, My God. why hast Thou forsaken Me ? 

V. 
He complained to men of His bodily pain. 
I thirst. 

VI. 
He gave up His work to His Father. 
It is finished. 

VII. 
He gave up Himself to His Father. 
Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit. 



430 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

" Truly, This Was the Son of God." 

There were soldiers standing close to the cross when Jesus died.. 
They heard His last cry to His Father; they saw Him bow His head 
and die ; and they felt the shaking of the earth, and they trembled 
at the sndden darkness ; and at length they cried out, " Truly, this 
was the Son of God." 

The chief, or captain, of these soldiers was called a centurion. 
He was much struck by all he saw, and he said, " Certainly this 
was a righteous man." Many people who had come to look at 
Jesus as He died, went home beating their breasts with grief. 
They had much to be sorry for, when they remembered the cruel 
words they had spoken. 

The women who loved Jesus had stood a good way off, and 
had heard His dying words. Now they gazed upon His dead body 
with hearts full of love and grief. Among these women were Mary 
Magdalene, and Mary (the mother of James and Jude), and Salome 
(the mother of James and John). There were many more besides, 
who had come with Jesus from Galilee, and who had shared their 
food with Him. 

One of the soldiers had a spear in his hand ; and he pushed 
the sharp point into the side of the Saviour's body. Blood and 
water flowed out of the cruel wound. 

The beloved John was standing near the cross when his Lord 
was pierced ; and he noticed it particularly because his heart had been, 
washed in water and blood by believing in Jesus. 

Do you know the verse — 

Rock of ages, cleft for ine, 

Let me hide myself in Thee. 

Let the water and the blood, 

From Thy riven side which flowed, 

Be of sin the double cure, 

Cleanse me from its guilt and power. 

Jesus was like the rock which Moses struck that water might, 
flow out of it. 




JESUS GIVETH THE WATER OF LIFE, 



(4.V) 



432 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Joseph of Arimathea. 

After the soldier had pierced Jesus, a good man named Joseph 
came and begged the body, that he might give it a decent burial. 

He was not a poor man ; for if he had been poor he would not 
have been allowed to have the body. He was a very great and rich 
man and was called Joseph of Arimathea, because that was his native 
place. 

He was counted a very honorable man, and was one of the 
seventy councillors. 

Most of these seventy councillors hated Jesus, but Joseph loved 
Him. He did not join with the councillors in condemning Jesus in 
the morning, but did all he could to save him. 

Joseph was much grieved when Jesus was crucified. He thought 
to himself, " I should like to get His body, and bury it in my garden, 
in a grave that I have had made for myself when I die." This was 
a kind thought. Joseph went quickly to ask Pilate to let him have 
the dead body. 

Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus was dead so soon, for 
people often live for several days when nailed upon the cross. 

Pilate could hardly believe that Jesus was dead. He had for- 
gotten perhaps that he had given the Jews leave to break His legs. 
But Jesus had died before the cruel soldiers came. 

Pilate called for the centurion, who had taken the other soldiers 
to the cross. 

" Is Jesus really dead? " said Pilate. 
• " Oh, yes," said the centurion. " He was dead when we came to 
the cross, and since then His body has been pierced." 

Then Pilate told Joseph he might have the dead body. How 
glad Joseph was to get it ! he was in great haste to bury it, before the 
sun set that evening : for the Sabbath began on Friday evening, and 
lasted till Saturday evening. Joseph made great haste to buy fine 
linen to wrap the body in. 

A friend came with him to fetch the Saviour's body. This 
friend's name was Nicodemus. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



433 



He was one of the honorable councillors, and he was good 
like Joseph. Once he had been ashamed of Jesus, and had come 
to Him by night, when no one could see him ; but now he was 
not ashamed, and he came boldly with Joseph to take away the 
beloved bod}- ; and he brought with him a quantity of sweet- 
smelling spices. The two friends, Joseph and Nicodemus, spread 




THE WOMEN AT THE TOMB OF JESUS. 

And very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they came unto the 
sepulchre at the rising of the sun. — ST. Luke xvi: 2. 

the sweet spices in the linen cloth, and wrapped their dear Lord 
in the white sheet. 

Then they carried the precious burden to the garden, and laid 
it in Joseph's new tomb, where he himself had meant to be buried 
when he died ; but no one had ever yet been laid there. The 
tomb was quite sweet and clean. It had been hewn out of a rock, 
and it was like a little room, and there were steps to go down into it. 
28 



434 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



In that clean quiet place, the friends laid the body of their 
Lord. The\ T must have had servants to help them ; for they 
rolled a very great stone to the mouth of the little cave. That 
stone was to keep out all who would hurt the precious body. 

The women who loved Jesus saw all that was done. What 
joy they must have felt when they saw the two rich men show 
such respect to their dead Master ! 

They observed where He was laid, and they made up their 
minds to come again to anoint Him with more sweet ointment. 



The Women and the Angel at the Tomb of Jesus. 

Very early on Sunday morning, while it was still a little dark,, 
some women entered Joseph's garden. These women carried jars 
in their arms full of the ointment which they had made in the 
night. 

They were going to the tomb of Jesus to look for His dead 
body, and to spread the sweet ointment over it. 

One of them was named Salome ; she was the mother of the 
beloved John and of his brother James. Another of these women 
was Mary, the mother of two of the Apostles, named James and 
Jude. The other woman was also named Mary — and she was 
called Mary Magdalene. She loved her Lord very much, for He 
had been kind to her, and healed her of a cruel sickness. 

As they went along, they talked about the tomb. One said 
to the other, " Did you see what a great stone was rolled to the 
door of the cave? How shall we get in, for all of us together 
would not be able to roll away so very large a stone ? " 

You see how much troubled they were about the stone. 
What would they have said, if they had known about the soldiers 
who had been watching all night round the tomb ? They would 
have been more troubled than they were about the stone ; but they 
did not know that soldiers had been stationed there. 

Soon they came near the tomb ; and then they saw that the 
stone was rolled away; by this time the soldiers also were all gone. 



it. J bx 
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John xii. 32. 




THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 



(435) 



43 6 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Just before the women came a wonderful thing had happened. 

There had been a great earthquake, and an angel had come 
from heaven and rolled away the stone, and sat upon it, and the 
Lord had risen from His grave. 

The soldiers were so terrified that they had fallen down on 
the earth, and had lain there as if they had been dead; but 
presently they had strength to get up, and to run quickly to 
Jerusalem, to tell what had happened. 

The three women knew nothing about all this. 

The} 7 were afraid when the} 7 saw the stone was rolled away ; 
for they thought the Pharisees had done it, and had stolen the 
Lord's body. But they went bravely into the tomb, and there they 
saw — not the Lord — but a bright angel. 

He looked like a young man, and he wore a long, white 
garment. This was the angel who had rolled away the stone. 
His face was glorious like the lightning, and his garment was 
white as snow. 

The women were frightened when they saw the angel. 

But he spoke to them very kindly, and said, " Be not afraid, 
for ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is not here ; 
for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord 
lay." The angel told them next what to do. He said, " Go quickly 
and tell His disciples and Peter that He is risen from the dead. 
He is going into Galilee, and He will see you there, as He said. 
Behold, I have told you ! " 

The poor women were still afraid after hearing these precious 
words ; but they were also joyful, and they ran very quickly to 
tell the disciples. Nor did they stop to speak to any one by the 
way. 

Jesus is Risen and Glorified. 

You have heard how the women ran to tell the disciples. 
You remember there were three who came to the tomb at first — 
Mary (the mother of James and Jude), Salome (the mother of John), 
and Mary Magdalene. 




THK BURIAL OF CHRIST. 



(437) 



438 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Now, you must know that Mary Magdalene did not go into 
the tomb with the other two : for as soon as she saw that the stone 
was rolled away, she took fright and ran back immediately, and 
went to Peter and John, and said to them, " They have taken away 
the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have 
lain Him." 

Peter and John set out immediately, running to the tomb as 
fast as they could. Mary Magdalene could not run so very fast, and 
she followed them a good way behind. 

John ran the fastest, and got to the tomb first. When he got 
there, he did not go in — he only stooped down and looked in. 

And what did he see ? He did not see the women. They 
were gone away. He did not see angels : he saw nothing but the 
linen clothes lying on the ground ; those linen clothes that Joseph 
had wrapped round the Lord's body. 

Soon Peter came up ; he did more than look into the tomb ; 
he went in ; but he saw no angel ; he saw nothing but the linen 
clothes on the floor ; he observed that the cloth which had been 
wrapped around the head of Jesus was folded up neatly and placed 
by itself. He could not tell who had folded it up, but we think it must 
have been the angel. 

When John saw that Peter had gone into the tomb, he went in 
also ; and when he saw the linen clothes folded up, he believed that 
his dear Lord was indeed risen from the dead. 

Peter and John did not stay in the empty tomb, but they walked 
back to their own home a little way off. 

Now they understood what He meant when He said, " I shall 
arise again the third day." 

Mary Magdalene did not go home with them. She stayed in 
the garden. She stood by the grave weeping. Then she stooped 
down and looked in, and what a wonderful sight she beheld ! 

She saw more than the clothes. She saw two angels dressed in 
white, sitting in the tomb. One was sitting in the place where the 
head of Jesus had once lain and the other angel was sitting where 
His feet had rested. 




JESUS MEETS MARY IN THE GARDEN. 



(439) 



440 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

The angels saw Mary, and they said to her kindly, " Woman, 
why weepest thon ? " She replied, " Because they have taken away 
my Lord, and I know not where they have lain Him." 

When she had said this she turned around and saw Jesus 
standing close to her ; but she did not know who it was. Jesus said 
to her, "Why weepest thou ? Whom seekest thou ? " 

Mary did not see who was speaking, and she thought it might 
be the gardener, so she answered, " Sir, if thou hast carried Him 
awa} T tell we where thou hast lain Him, and I will come and take 
Him away." Jesus answered her by one word—" Mary ! " She 
knew it was the Lord, and replied, "Master!" 

Oh what joy she felt as she spoke that word ! 

But Jesus told her that He could not stay with her now, for He 
was going to ascend to His Father. Then He commanded her, saying, 
" Go to My brethren, and say, I ascend unto My Father and your 
Father, unto My God and your God." 

Then Mary went again to the disciples, and told them she had 
seen the Lord, and had heard Him speak. 

She was the first to see Jesus after He rose from the dead. 
She was the first to hear His voice. 

The first words Jesus spoke, after rising from the dead were, 
" Why weepest thou?" These tender words showed that love was 
in His heart, even now that all His sorrows were over. Even now 
He feels for every one who is weeping; so that we may go when 
we are sad, and weep at His feet. 

The first name He called was "Mary." He still knows the 
names of all His people, and writes them down in His book of 
Life. Would not you, dear little one, like to have your name 
written there ? 



Jesus Appears to His Disciples, 

That Sunday was a very happy day when Jesus rose in the 
morning. How many people who had been weeping all Saturday 
were made happy on that Sunday ! 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 441 

Mary Magdalene and another Mar} T , and Salome, were the first 
people made happ}-. Then Peter and John were made happy, for 
though they did not see Jesus at the tomb, yet they believed. 
Then some other women were made happy, who saw two angels, 
though they also did not see Jesus. Next, Peter was comforted 
after his sin by seeing Jesus. 

Now I am going to tell you of the happy Sunday evening 
which the disciples had. 

In the evening two friends were walking home to a village 
in the country. They talked together about all that had happened, 
and were very sad. On the way Jesus Himself came up to them ; 
but they did not know Him, though they had often seen Him 
before He was crucified. Jesus kindly asked them what made 
them so sad. Then one of the friends, named Cleopas, replied, 
'' Have you not heard of the things that have happened in Jeru- 
salem ? " 

Jesus said, " What things ? " 

They answered, " Everything about Jesus of Nazareth ; how 
He was crucified, and how we hoped He would rise again. But 
though some women, who went early to the tomb, say they have 
seen angels who said He was alive, yet none of us have seen 
Him." 

Then Jesus told them that they were foolish not to believe 
what the prophets had said about the Lord ; and He explained to 
them a great deal of the Bible as they went along. 

At last the two friends came to Em-ma-us, the village where 
they lived. They begged Jesus to come into their house, saying, 
" Abide with us, for it is evening." 

So Jesus went in, and sat down with them to supper. 

Then He took some bread and blessed it, and broke it in 
pieces, and gave them each some. 

Perhaps they may have seen Him do this before He had been 
crucified ; for while He was breaking the bread they knew that 
it was Jesus. 

But immediately He disappeared from their sight. 



442 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Then they remembered how warm their hearts had felt while 
He was talking to them as they walked. 

They did not sleep at their house that night ; though it was 
late, they set out to return to Jerusalem, nearly eight miles off. 

They went straight to the house where the eleven apostles 
met together, with others who loved Jesus. 

But before they could tell about their walk with Jesus, the 
apostles cried out, " The Lord is risen, indeed, and hath appeared 
to Simon Peter ! " 

Then the two friends told about Jesus breaking bread at their 
house. 

We only know the name of one of these friends — Cle-o-pas. 

While they were thus rejoicing about Jesus, He Himself 
appeared ! 

Though the doors were locked to keep out their enemies, yet 
Jesus came in. 

He stood in the midst of them, and said, " Peace be unto you." 

But they were, greatly frightened, for they could not believe 
they really saw Jesus ; they thought He was a spirit without a 
body. 

Then Jesus said, " Behold My hands and My feet ! It is I 
Myself!" 

Then He asked them to touch Him, that they might feel He 
had flesh and bones. 

Then they looked at His blessed hands and feet that had been 
pierced with nails, and they saw the deep hole in His side, and 
they knew that it must be Jesus in His own body. Then they 
were glad. 

While they were full of joy and wonder, Jesus said, " Have 
ye here any meat?" 

They gave Him what they had — a piece of a broiled fish and 
a piece of a honeycomb. 

Jesus ate this food before them to show them He was really 
alive, and that He had a real body. 

Then Jesus talked a great deal to them. 






MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 443 

He told His eleven Apostles that He was going to send them 
out to preach ; and having said this, He breathed on them, and 
said, " Receive ye the Holy Ghost." 

Such was the end of this glorious Sunday — the first day of 
the week, and the greatest day ever known on earth. 



Doubting Thomas. 



On that happy Sunday evening, when Jesus first came to 
His Apostles, one of them was absent. It was Thomas. 

You remember his unbelieving speech when told of his Lord's 
appearance. For a whole w r eek Thomas saw nothing of his Lord ; 
nor is it mentioned that any one saw Him. 

On the next Sunday evening, the disciples were again overjoyed 
by a visit from their Lord, in the same place as before. 

Did Thomas do as he had said, and put his fingers and thrust 
his hand into the wounded places ? 

No ; he could do nothing more than exclaim, " My Lord and 
my God ! " 

A little while after that second Sunday, Jesus appeared to seven 
disciples in Galilee by the lake of Gennesareth. That visit was at 
the dawn of day. It was by the side of that lake where Jesus once 
fed the multitude. There He fed His hungry apostles on fish of His 
own giving, prepared at a fire of His own lighting. 

Then He asked Peter a question that grieved him — : " Lovest 
thou Me ? " That question repeated three times reminded him of 
the three times he had said, " I know not the man." 

This meeting by the lake was the third time that Jesus showed 
Himself to His disciples after He was risen. 

Jesus had another meeting with His apostles, and with a great 
many more besides. 

It was on a mountain of Galilee. We know not what mountain. 

How many people do you think came to see Jesus ? 



444 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Five hundred people came from all parts of the land. When 
they were all ready, longing for His appearance, Jesus came. Some 
knew He was the Lord, but others were not sure at first. 

What a happy meeting there must have been on that moun- 
tain-top ! 

No enemy of Jesus was there. All loved Him and worshiped 
Him. 

How many who had once been blind now rejoiced to see His 
face ! How many who had once been sunk in sin, were now washed 
clean in His blood ! 

But there will be a happier meeting some day. That will be 
when Jesus comes again. Oh, what a company there will be! not 
hundreds, but millions ! 

Now we meet to part again, but then we shall never part. We 
shall then be all like Christ — bright and glorious in our bodies, 
and without sin — never more to die. 



Jesus Ascends into Heaven. 

We have heard of the sweet visits Jesus paid His disciples after 
He rose from the dead. Sometimes it was to a room in Jerusalem 
He came — then it was by a lake in Galilee He was seen — and after- 
ward on a mountain-top. 

He stayed a little while in Galilee among the places where He 
used to preach and pray, and do wonders. 

But He soon returned to Jerusalem, and His disciples also. 
He did not now live with them as He used to do, but He often 
saw them and talked with them. 

Once He met them all in some place in Jerusalem. We think 
it was in the room where He had seen them first on that happy 
Sunday when He rose from the dead. 

The disciples knew that their Lord was soon going to leave 
them. They wanted to know what they ought to do when He was 
gone. He said, "Stay in Jerusalem, and wait for the promise of the 




CHRIST ASCENDS TO HEAVEN. 



(445) 



446 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Father." This promise was the Comforter or Holy Ghost. Had 
not the disciples heard Jesus say, " The Father will send you 
another Comforter — the Holy Ghost ? " Oh, yes, they had often 
heard this precious promise. 

Then Jesus told them, that when they had received the Holy 
Ghost from heaven, they were to preach about Him. He told them 
to preach first at Jerusalem, to the very people who had cried out, 
" Crucify Him!" He said, " Tell them that their sins shall be 
forgiven." 

After they had preached at Jerusalem, they were to go further- 
Jesus said, "Go ye into all the world, and teach all nations, and 
preach the Gospel to every creature." 

After the disciples had preached, they were to baptize people, 
as John the Baptist used to do. 

When any one believed in Jesus, the apostles were to baptize 
him with water, and to say, " I baptize thee in the name of the 
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost." 

Jesus spent forty days upon the earth after He had risen from 
the dead. 

One day He walked out with His disciples from Jerusalem. 
They went together to Mount Olivet. It was the last time they 
were to walk together upon earth. 

When they came to Mount Olivet, Jesus stopped, with His disci- 
ples all around, and lifted up His hands over them, and blessed them. 

While He was blessing them, He was lifted up from the earth, 
and carried up into heaven. The apostles looked up and tried to see 
their Master as long as they could ; but soon a cloud hid Him from 
their sight ; they could see Him no longer ; He went up, till He took 
his place at the right hand of God upon His throne. 

And there He sits now, glorious, blessed, beloved Saviour ! 

The disciples worshiped their Lord, and still looked up into the 
heavens. They soon heard voices speaking to them — they beheld 
two men in white garments, even angels. 

The angels said, u Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up 
into heaven ? This Jesus that is taken up from you into heaven. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 447 

shall come in the same way as ye have seen Him go into 
heaven.' ' 

The disciples did not go on looking, bnt returned with great 
joy to Jerusalem. 

They went continual^ to the Temple, and praised and blessed 
God. 

They knew He was happy now ; they knew that He would 
come again one day ; they knew He would send them the Holy 
Ghost from heaven. 



The Disciples Receive the Promised Comforter. 

Do you not wish to know what the Apostles did after Jesus went 
up to heaven ? 

We know what they did ; for a history has been written called 
the Acts of the Apostles. 

It was Luke who wrote that history — the same Luke who 
wrote the history of Jesus called the Gospel of Luke. He was 
not one of the twelve apostles, but he knew a great deal about 
Jesus and His apostles, and the Holy Spirit taught him what to 
write. 

You know there were eleven apostles who saw Jesus caught 
up to heaven. Two angels stood near, and comforted them by 
saying, "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, 
shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into 
heaven." 

This sweet promise made them very joyful. 

It was on Mount Olivet they were standing when Jesus was 
taken up out of their sight. They had only a mile to go to 
Jerusalem. They went there and so remained because Jesus had 
bid them wait in Jerusalem till He should send down the Holy 
Ghost. 

It was now fifty days since Jesus rose. There was a feast of 
the Jews at that time, called " the feast of first-fruits/' when the 
Jews brought their first sheaves of wheat to present to the Lord. 



448 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Thousands of Jews came tip from all countries to keep this feast. 
One name for the feast was Pentecost. It was now just fifty days 
after the Passover. It was the first day of the week. On that 
day the believers in Jesus met together in the large room to 
pray. 

It was early in the morning — about eight o'clock. Suddenly 
a great sound was heard. It was like the sound of a very strong, 
high wind. This great sound filled the place where they were 
sitting, and shook the whole house. There came also what looked 
like fire — divided into many parts, each part appearing to be a 
tongue of fire ; and these came and sat on each person present, 
on the women as well as on the men. 

The great noise which had shaken the house had been heard 
in all Jerusalem, and people came running toward the place. They 
could not all get into the house, but the people in the house could 
come out to those in the street. The bright tongues were still to 
be seen upon them. There were Jews who lived in other countries, 
as well as Gentiles, and they heard the believers speaking in the 
languages they spoke in the countries where they were born. They 
were very much astonished, and said, u How do these men of 
Galilee speak all these languages ? " Some thought this was a 
miracle, and said to each other, " What is the meaning of it ? " 
But others only mocked and said, " These men have drunk too 
much wine." 

Then Peter stood up, and all the other apostles stood near 
him. He spoke in a very loud voice, that all the multitude might 
hear. 

He began by saying, " These men are not drunken, as you 
suppose ; for men do not get drunk so early in the morning. But," 
said he, " God has sent down His Holy Spirit, as He promised. 
Hear my words," cried out Peter; "Jesus of Nazareth, who did so 
many miracles among you, as you know, has been crucified by 
your wicked hands. But He has been raised from the .dead and 
taken to God's right hand, and now He hath sent forth this which 
ye now see and hear." 




CHRIST SHOWS HIMSELF TO THK TWO MARYS 



(449) 



450 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

The multitude could see the brightness of the Spirit. Many 
now believed that Jesus was the Son of God, and felt very unhappy 
for having crucified Him ; and they were pricked in their hearts, 
and came to the apostles, saying very sorrowfully, "What shall 
we do?" 

Then Peter answered, " Repent and be baptized every one of 
you in the name of Jesus, for the forgiveness of your sins, and 
you shall receive the Holy Ghost." 

Three thousand were baptized that day. 

Then was fulfilled what John the Baptist once said : " I indeed 
baptize you with water unto repentance, but He that cometh after 
me shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." — 
Matt. iii. n. 



The Lame Man at the Beautiful Gate. 

The three thousand people who believed lived very happily. 
They went often to see each other, and they all loved one another, 
and they prayed together. 

Some were very poor and some were very rich. Those who 
were rich sold their fine houses and gardens, and with the money 
the}' helped the poor people. 

The appostles did a great many miracles. 

Let us hear the account of one of these miracles. 

Peter and John went up to the Temple one afternoon, about 
three o'clock, when the lamb was sacrificed on the altar. As they 
passed through a fine brass gate called Beautiful, they saw a poor 
beggar lying there. He was lame. He had been born with weak 
bones in his ankles and feet, so that he could never walk. He 
was now forty years old, and he had no hope of ever being cured. 
Every day his friends carried him to this gate, that he might beg 
money of the people passing through. In the evening his friends 
carried him home. 

When he saw Peter and John coming through, he begged 
them to give him something. They stopped and said to the beggar,, 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 451 

t; Look upon us." So the man looked, in great hopes of a little 
money. Then Peter said, ik Silver and gold have I none, but such 
as I have give I thee : in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise up 
and walk." Then Peter took the beggar by his right hand and 
helped him to get up. But the man sprang from the ground with 
a leap, though before he could not stand ; his feet and ankle-bones 
had been made strong in a moment ! 

The man followed Peter and John into the Temple, leaping 
as he went, and praising God. There were a great many people 
in the courts of the Temple who had come up to pray, and they 
saw the man leaping, and the)- knew him well as the beggar who 
had sat at the gate year after year. 

The man was so fond of Peter and John that he held them 
fast, lest they should go away. People in the streets heard what 
had happened, and came in crowds to see the man. They looked 
at Peter and John, admiring them, and thinking they were very 
great men to do such a wonder. 

But Peter and John did not want to be admired. They 
wanted everybody to praise the Saviour. So Peter stood up to 
preach in the Temple courts. He said, u Ye men of Israel, why 
do you look on us, as though by our own power and goodness we 
had made this man walk ? It is through believing on Jesus that 
he was cured. You asked Pontius Pilate to have Jesus killed, and 
to let go the murderer Barabbas. But God raised Him from the 
dead, and took Him up to heaven, w T here He will stay till the 
happy time that God hath spoken of. Repent ye, therefore, and 
be converted, that your sins may be blotted out." 



The Stoning of Stephen, the First Martyr. 

There were now thousands and thousands of believers in Jesus. 
Among them were many poor people, who needed to be supplied 
with food. The apostles called the people together and told them 
to select seven good men to help in this work. These men were 
called deacons, and they had power to work miracles. 



452 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES 

Stephen was the most remarkable of all the seven deacons. 
He was full of faith, and did great wonders among the people. 

But the enemies of Jesus hated him the more for being so 
wonderful. Learned Jews went to him and disputed with him, but 
they found that Stephen was wiser than they were. 

So they determined to bring him before the great council, 
called the Sanhedrim, and to bribe men to tell lies of him. And 
they went about among the people and tried to set them against 
him, by saying false things of him. 

One day they came suddenly upon him and caught him, and 
brought him to the great hall of the Sanhedrim, close to the 
Temple, and set him before his judges. 

False witnesses came in and said that Stephen had declared 
that Jesus of Nazareth would destroy the Temple. Stephen had 
never said this, for it was the Romans who would destroy the 
Temple. 

After Stephen had been so falsely accused, the judges, who 
sat round, looked at him, and were surprised to see his face like 
the face of an angel, so bright — so glorious ! But this sight did 
not turn the hearts of the wicked judges. They went on judging 
him. 

The high priest was the chief among them. (It was not 
Caiaphas now who was high priest. He had been put out of his 
place.) 

This high priest, after hearing the wicked men accuse him, 
said to Stephen, " Are these things so?" 

Then Stephen began to defend himself against what the false 
witnesses had said of him. He made a very long speech ; at last 
he told his judges that they had all been murderers of the Son of 
God. 

This made them very angry. Stephen's words cut them to 
the heart, but did not make them repent. They gnashed upon 
him with their teeth. 

He lifted up his eyes toward heaven and saw there the glory 
of God, and Jesus standing on His right hand. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



453 



Then He cried out, " Behold, I see the heavens opened, and 
Jesus standing on the right hand of God ! " 

Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, 
that they might not hear Stephen's blessed words, and they ran 
upon him all to- 
gether (as the men 
of Nazareth had 
once hunted 
Jesus). They ran 
far from the Tem- 
ple courts, all 
along the street 
that led to a gate 
of the city, near 
the brook Kedron ; 
and when they got 
Stephen out, they 
took up great 
stones and threw 
them at him. 

In order to 
hurl the stones 
with more force 
they took off their 
outer garments, 
and asked a young 
man named Saul 
to take care of 
them. He was an 
unbelieving young 
man, who was glad to see Stephen killed. Stephen went on 
praying all the time the stones were falling, calling out, " Lord 
Jesus, receive my spirit." At last, when bruised all over and 
ready to die, he kneeled down and said, " Lord, lay not this 
sin to their charge ! " Thus with his last breath he asked God 




THE GATE NEAR WHICH STEPHEN WAS STONED. 



454 "MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

to forgive his cruel murderers. As soon as he had offered this 
prayer he fell asleep. 

This was the death of the first martyr. Thousands and 
thousands of martyrs have died like him, praising God and praying 
for their enemies, and they will all come with Jesus to reign with 
Him in glory. 



Story of Philip and the Ethiopian Prince, 

God had a great work for Philip to do. He was to bring the 
gospel into Africa. There were then three parts of the world that 
were known to the people of that time : Asia, where Jesus had 
preached ; Europe, where the gospel had not yet been preached ; and 
Africa, where black people lived. To Africa God determined to 
send the gospel. 

The angel told Philip to go down to the Philistines' country, 
at the lower corner of Canaan. Gaza was in that part, but Philip 
did not go near that town ; he went to a desert place near it, on 
the way to Africa. 

It must have seemed strange to Philip to hear he must go to a 
desert. He might wonder whom he could preach to in a desert. But 
he went. 

While he was walking among the rocky hills he saw a 
very fine carriage going along. It was coining from Jerusalem. 
There were horses and servants. A great lord was sitting in the 
carriage reading. This great lord was the chief servant of a great 
queen called Candace. She was the queen of a hot country in Africa 
called Ethiopia, where the people are almost black. 

This lord had the charge of all the queen's treasure, and he 
was called her treasurer. But we do not know his name. 

The Spirit said to Philip, " Go near to that chariot ; " and Philip 
went. He heard the treasurer reading out aloud. He had a scroll, 
and not a book, in his hand. On that scroll, or roll, were written 
the words of the prophet Isaiah. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



455 



Who would have thought that a lord from a heathen country 
would read the Word of God ? 

But this man had been up to Jerusalem to worship in the 
Temple. He had not been allowed to go further than the outer 
court of the Gentiles, but his prayers in that court were heard as 
much as the prayers of the priests in the Holy Place. He had 
brought back a greater treasure than all his gold and silver, even 
the words that God once spoke to Isaiah. 

Philip had the courage to speak to this great lord. He said to 
him, " Do you understand what you are reading ?" 

If the treasurer had been a proud man he would have been 
affronted by that question from a poor stranger ; 
but he was humble, and he answered : " How 
can I understand if I have no one to teach me?" 
And then he asked Philip to come and sit by 
him in his chariot. When Philip was sitting in 
the chariot the rich man showed him what he 
was reading. It was that sweet verse in the 
fifty-third chapter : " He is brought as a lamb to 
the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers 
is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth." 

The treasurer, after having read this verse, 
said to Philip, " I do not know the meaning of 
this. Does the Prophet speak of himself, or of 
some other man?" Then Philip explained it all 
to him. He told him that Jesus w T as the lamb 
lately been crucified in Jerusalem ; and that He 
to His enemies as a sheep that makes no noise 




THE CHARIOT OF THE 
ETHIOPIAN EORD. 



and that He had 
had been as meek 
when it is sheared. 
And he told him that Jesus had risen from His grave, and that He 
had desired His disciples to go and teach people of all countries, 
and to baptize them in His name. The treasurer listened very atten- 
tively, and wanted to know whether he might be baptized. Just 
at this moment the chariot passed by a stream. There are not 
many streams in the desert, and the treasurer was pleased to see 
water. He cried out, " Here is water; may I not be baptized?" 



456 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Philip said, " You may, if you believe with all your heart." 

The treasurer replied, " I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son 
of God." 

When Philip saw that he believed, he desired the driver to 
stop the horses ; and Philip and the treasurer both got out and went 
together into the water. There Philip baptized this Gentile stranger. 

As soon as they were come up out of the water the Spirit 
caught up Philip and took him to a place by the seaside. 

The place where the Spirit left him was once called Ashdod. 
It was a place full of idols. Philip went along by the seaside, 
from place to place, preaching everywhere. At last he stopped at 
a fine city called Caesarea, built by the Roman Emperor, and 
called after Caesar. 

The treasurer must have been sorry to lose his teacher, 
yet he was so happy in his Saviour that he went to his home full 
of joy, ready to teach Queen Candace and all her people. So the 
gospel came into Africa, where many people turned to Jesus. 



The Wonderful Vision of Saul. 

A very wonderful event is now to be related. 

You remember there was a young man named Saul, who 
treated cruelly the disciples of Jesus. He kept the clothes of 
those who stoned the holy Stephen. 

This young man thought he did right in ill-treating believers 
in Christ, for he thought Christ was a deceiver, and not really the 
Son of God. After he had done much harm in Jerusalem, he went 
to other cities to hurt the believers who lived in them. 

There was a great city, called Damascus, more than a hundred 
miles from Jerusalem. He wished to go there. First, he got 
letters from the high-priest at Jerusalem, giving him leave to 
seize the believers in Damascus, and to bring them in chains to 
Jerusalem. He meant to show these letters to the chief Jews in 
Damascus. But on the way a very wonderful thing happened. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 



457 



Saul was traveling with several men as his guard. The}' all 
arrived in sight of Damascus about noonday, when the sun is the 
brightest. There suddenly appeared a light from heaven brighter 
than the sun. This light was so dazzling that all the travelers 
fell down with their faces to the ground, quite unable to look up. 

While thus lying prostrate, Saul heard a voice from heaven, 
saying, " Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute Me ?" Saul answered, 







INTERIOR OF A HOUSE IN DAMASCUS. 



" Who art Thou, Lord?" The voice replied, "I am Jesus, whom 
thou persecutest." Saul, still trembling and astonished, inquired, 
"Lord, what wouldst Thou have me to do?" 

The voice replied, " Arise, and go into the city, and it shall 
be told thee what thou must do." 

All this time the other men did not speak a word, but they 
could not hear what Jesus said to Saul, only they heard a sound. 



45 8 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

After being struck to the ground they got up and stood by Saul, 
but Saul himself did not get up till Jesus said, " Rise, and stand 
upon thy feet." Then Saul arose, and opened his eyes — but 
behold! — he could not see — the dazzling light had blinded him. 
The men were not blinded, and they led Saul by the hand into 
the city. They took him to a lodging in a street called Straight, 
at the house of a man named Judas. There Saul sat down, quite 
blind, and he refused to eat or drink for three days. As he sat 
in darkness he was thinking of his sins against Jesus, and of his 
cruelty to His people. 

He felt so grieved at all he had done that he could not eat. 
He thought of the poor creatures he had sent to prison — of those 
he had beaten — and of Stephen, who had been stoned before his 
eyes. " Oh, how could I be so wicked ? I am the chief of sinners! " 
he exclaimed. 



Ananias Appears to Saul in a Vision. 

While Saul was in this sad state of blindness and misery, 
God sent him a dream, or vision. It was a comforting dream. 

Saul saw a man in his dream whose name was Ananias. 
He came into the room, and put his hand on Saul, and said, 
" Receive thy sight." Till this dream came, how could Saul know 
that he should ever see again ? He knew that he well deserved to 
be always blind. But he kept on praying to God for pardon. 

While Saul was praying, there w^as a man in Damascus who 
had a dream. This man was the same Ananias that Saul had seen 
in his vision. He was a very good man, and he had heard that 
Saul was coming from Jerusalem to seize God's people, and to bind 
them in chains. He was much surprised when God said to him 
in a dream : " Get up, and go into Straight street, and find the 
house of a man called Judas, and ask for a man called Saul: for 
Saul is now praying to Me ; and he has seen you in a dream 
coining in and putting your hand on him, that he may be able 



460 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Ananias answered the Lord, — "Many people have told me of 
this man, and of how much harm he has done to the holy people 
in Jerusalem ; and how he has come here with leave from the chief 
priests to bind all that call on the Lord Jesus." 

But the Lord answered Ananias, — " Go thy way, for I have 
chosen him to tell many people about Me — Gentiles, and kings, 
and the children of Israel — and I shall show him that he must 
suffer a great deal for My sake." 

Then Ananias went to Straight street, and entered into the 
house of Judas, and went up into Saul's room, and put his hands 
on Saul, and said, " Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared 
to you as you came to this place, has sent me to you, that you 
may receive your sight." As he said this, something like scales 
fell from Saul's eyes, and he found he was able to see. Soon 
afterwards he was baptized, and then he ate food, and he grew 
strong again. 

Saul stayed a good while in Damascus, and he became great 
friends with all the people of the Lord in the city. Those very 
people that he once meant to send to prison were now his dearest 
friends. He went to the synagogues, and preached there about 
Jesus Christ, that He was the Son of God. 

The Jews grew very angry on hearing him praise Jesus so 
much. They were so angry that they determined to try to kill 
him. But Saul escaped the unbelieving Jews in Damascus, and 
after a journey of many days through the land of Israel, he arrived 
at Jerusalem. When he had last been there, what harm he had 
done in the city ! But now he came to do good, and to save 
sinners by his preaching. 

After staying some time, Saul told his friends that he must 
leave Jerusalem, for the Lord had commanded him to go away, 
because the Jews intended to kill him. 

When the disciples heard this they were very anxious to send 
him away. They took him down secretly to the seaside. There 
was a fine town built in honor of the Roman Emperor Caesar, and 
it was called Csesarea. Saul had to go about a hundred miles to 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 461 

this town. He must at first have traveled by night to hide him- 
self from the Jews. 

What good man was living there who would be glad to see 
Saul ? Philip, the deacon. Perhaps he had not seen Saul since 
the stoning of Stephen. How much changed Saul was since that 
time ! That fierce, proud countenance was now gentle, afflicted, 
and humble. 

But perhaps Saul had no time to visit Philip at Caesarea, for 
his friends were in great haste to send him far away. There were 
ships embarking from Caesarea. One was setting sail for Tarsus. 
That was his native place, and there Saul wished to go. How far 
was it off? Three hundred miles over the seas. Saul got into a 
ship. At last he came to land. He did not get out of the ship there ; 
he had to sail twelve miles more up a river, till he came to a 
great mountain. Here was Tarsus, which was his home. 



An Angel Delivers Peter from Prison. 

At this time very great troubles came upon the saints in Jeru- 
salem. Caesar at Rome appointed Herod to be king of Jerusalem 
and of all the land. 

This was not the Herod who had killed John the Baptist, and 
mocked Jesus the Saviour. That Herod had been sent far away 
bv the Emperor Caesar. This Herod was his nephew, and he was 
the grandson of the Herod who killed the babes of Bethlehem. 
What a wicked family these Herods were ! This Herod commanded 
his soldiers to seize James, the brother of John, and to cut off his 
head with a sword. 

So now John lost his brother. Those two brothers had been 
with Jesus on the mount of glory and in the garden of agony. 
James was one of the three favorites of the Lord, though John was 
the most beloved of all. He was the first of all the apostles to 
be killed for the sake of Jesus. 

Herod saw that the Jews were pleased with him for killing 
James, so he thought he would kill Peter too ; and he sent soldiers 



462 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

to seize him and to put him in prison ; but, as he had heard of 
his once escaping from prison, he desired sixteen soldiers to guard 
him night and day. 

Herod fixed the day when Peter was to be killed. The night 
before that terrible day the saints met together to pray for him. 
The other apostles had left Jerusalem, lest they also should be killed ; 
but there were many saints still there. They met together in the 
house of a very good woman, named Mary. She was not one of the 
Marys we have heard of before. She was the sister of Barnabas 
who had once been kind to Saul. 

Mary and her friends were sitting up all the night. Peter was 
quietly sleeping in prison. It was the beginning of summer, and 
it was warm. Peter had taken off his sandals and his upper gar- 
ment, but he could not take off a chain from each hand, which was 
fastened to a soldier's hand on each side of him. Suddenly an 
angel made the dark prison brighter than the day. Yet Peter was 
so sound asleep that he did not wake, till the angel touched him> 
saying, " Rise up quickly." And as Peter arose, the chains fell 
off his hands. 

Then the angel bade him tighten his clothes round his waist, 
put on his sandals, and wrap himself in his loose upper garment. 
All this time the soldiers slept. 

The angel said, " Follow me." Peter followed, feeling as if he 
were dreaming. The angel led him past many soldiers that had 
been placed to watch outside, and brought him to the great iron 
gate. Though it had bolts and bars, it opened without key and 
without hand, as if it had opened itself. 

The angel brought him down one street and then departed. 

When Peter found himself alone he stopped to think of what 
had happened. He saw that God had set him free, and saved him 
from death. He had heard that the saints were sitting up at night 
to pray for him in Mary's house. So he went there. He knocked 
at the door of the porch, and Rhoda, the maid, came to the door. 
You know the history — how, when she heard Peter's voice outside, 
saying, " Let me in," her joy was so great that she forgot to open 




RELEASED BY THE ANGEL. 



(463) 



464 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

the door, but ran into the house to tell his friends that Peter was 
there — and how they would not believe her, but said it was some 
angel that took care of Peter. 

Peter, however, went on knocking, till many friends rushed to 
the door and saw his face. They were inclined to make much noise 
in their joy, but Peter made a sign for them to be quiet, as the 
noise might have been heard by their enemies. When they were 
quiet, Peter told them how the Lord had delivered him. He then 
said, " Go and tell this to James and the brethren." 

It was James the brother of Jude that he meant, — the same 
James that Saul had seen. Then Peter went away to some place 
that Herod did not know of. 



Story of Paul and the Wicked Sorcerer. 

Saul and Barnabas spent a whole year in Antioch, preaching 
to the Christians. While they were living at Antioch, the Holy 
Ghost said to the Christian teachers, " Let Barnabas and Saul go to 
the work I have called them to do." So the other Christian teachers 
prayed, and sent them out to preach to the heathen. 

And they took with them a young man, named Mark. He was 
the nephew of Barnabas, and his uncle was fond of him, and liked to 
have him with him. 

Saul and Barnabas sailed to Cyprus in a ship. They could 
easily get there in a day. When they landed at Salamis, the port, 
they found themselves among orange-groves and apricot gardens. 
The hills were covered with vines, and the green pastures were 
sprinkled over with milk-white flocks. But this sweet country was 
made hateful by the wicked ways of its people. The two apostles 
preached everywhere they could. They went all through the island 
preaching. The island is about one hundred miles long. 

At the further end, there was a city called Paphos, where the 
governor lived. His name was Sergius Paulus. He was a Roman, 
and was king or governor under Caesar at Rome — just as Pontius 
Pilate had been king in Jerusalem. 




PATX EXPELS THE EVIL SPIRIT. 



(465) 



466 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

But he was a much wiser man than Pilate. When he heard of 
the preaching of the wonderful strangers, he wanted to hear them 
and so he sent for them, that he might learn about the true God. 

The two apostles went into the palace of the governor, hoping 
to lead him to believe in Jesus. 

There was a very wicked man in the room. His name was 
Bar-jesus. He was a Jew, and had a Jewish name, meaning the 
" Son of Jesus," but he was really the son of Satan. This wicked 
Jew could not bear to hear of Jesus, and he tried to turn away the 
governor from believing in him. We do not know what he said, 
only that he spoke against the gospel. 

Saul then turned towards him, and fixed his eyes upon him, 
saying, u O full of all cunning and mischief, thou child of the devil, 
thou enemy of all righteousness ! the hand of the Lord is upon 
thee, and thou shalt be blind and not see the sun for a season." 

Immediately this wicked man found himself in darkness, and 
he spread out his hands, looking for some one to lead him. 

The governor, when he saw this miracle, believed in the Lord. 

What a just punishment this sorcerer had ! He tried to keep the 
governor in darkness of heart that he should not see the Light of the 
World. After this visit to Cyprus you will never hear Saul spoken of 
any more. From this time his name is Paul. No one knows why 
his name was changed ; perhaps it was because Paul was a Roman 
name, and suited him, now he preached to the Romans and other 
Gentiles. Saul was only a Jewish name. 

From Cyprus they went to Antioch in Pisidia, to Iconium, to 
Lystra. The apostles then determined to return to Jerusalem by 
the way they came. 



Paul and Timothy. 

When Paul and Barnabas were leaving Jerusalem they took 
with them several holy men. One of these was a prophet, called 
Silas. He became a great friend of Paul and he remained with him 
at Antioch when the other brethren went back to Jerusalem. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 467 

Barnabas took [Mark with him and set sail for Cyprus, his own 
country, where he had once preached the gospel. 

Paul chose for his companion Silas, the prophet, and he went 
to his own country, Tarsus, where he had once preached the gospel. 

Here he found a young man named Timothy. He felt a 
great affection for Timothy. His mother was a Jewess. She had 
taught him to know the Scriptures when he was quite a child. 
His grandmother also had taught him. But he did not know about 
Jesus till Paul preached at I/ystra. Paul heard a very good char- 
acter of Timothy from all the Christians at Lystra. He wished 
very much to have him as a companion on his journey. Timothy 
was quite ready to go. These two were like father and son. Paul 
had no son of his own, and he was glad to have Timothy for his 
son. He called him his dearly beloved son. 



Paul's Wonderful Dream. 

These three friends traveled all about Asia together. 

One day they came to a town called Troas. It was by the 
sea-coast. 

One night Paul had a wonderful dream. He saw a man stand- 
ing and speaking very earnestly to him, saying, " Come over and 
help us." He knew that the man came from Macedonia. Perhaps 
the man in the dream said where he came from, or perhaps Paul 
knew by his dress and language to what country he belonged. 
When Paul awoke he told his dream to his companions. How 
man}' companions had he ? Two — Silas and Timothy. Now he 
had a third, named Luke. 

We do not know where he first saw Luke. Paul must have 
been very glad to get Luke for a companion. Luke was a very 
learned, clever man, and he wrote this history we are reading from 
the Bible ; it was Luke who wrote the Acts. He wrote also one 
of the histories of our Saviour, and for that reason he is called the 
" Evangelist " — for the four men who wrote the four histories of 



468 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Jesus are called the " Evangelists." Luke was a physician and 
doctor. Paul called him the " beloved physician." 

The four friends set sail in a little ship. They were two days 
on the voyage. The second day they arrived at the sea-coast of 
Macedonia, the country of the man in the dream. 

They went to a fine city called Philippi. It was built on a 
great plain close by a river. Very few Jews lived in this city, so 
there was no synagogue in it. But there was a little house for 
prayer close by the river-side. 

On the Sabbath-day — which was Saturday — the four ministers 
went to this prayer-house. They found a few women at the prayer- 
meeting. The men, perhaps, would not come. 

The ministers sat down and spoke to the women. There was 
one woman there who listened most attentively. Her name was 
Lydia. « 

After the service she spoke to Paul, and told him that she 
believed in Jesus, and that she wished to be baptized. Paul approved 
of her so well that he had her baptized ; and also her family and 
servants. 

Then Lydia asked the four ministers to do her a great favor. 
It was, to come to her house and live there as long as they stayed 
in Philippi. 



Story of a Great Earthquake. 

How happy and prosperous were Paul and his friends at 
Philippi! But soon there was a great change. The people perse- 
cuted these good men. They caught Paul and Silas, dragged them 
into the market place, beat them with rods, and cast them into 
prison. They put their feet in the stocks — that is, in holes in a 
board, so that they could not move. They could not lie down or 
stand up. 

Paul and Silas were sitting in the stocks at night, when a 
sound was heard from their dungeon. Was it the voice of weeping 
and wailing ? No, it was the voice of singing ! And what was the 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 469 

singing about ? It was the praises of God the prisoners were 
singing. 

Suddenly a dreadful sound was heard — it was an earthquake. 

So great was the earthquake that it shook the dungeon, opened 
the doors, and caused the chains to fall off from the prisoners. 
The apostles found that. their feet were set free from the holes in 
the boards. They could easily run away. But they did not move, 
because they knew it was God's will they should stay. Nor did 
any of the prisoners escape, though they easily could. 

The keeper was asleep, and was awakened by the earthquake. 
When he saw the doors standing open he felt sure the prisoners 
must be gone. He knew he had done wrong in sleeping, and he 
felt afraid that he should be condemned to die by the rulers. So 
he took out his sword, and was going to stab himself, when he 
heard a loud voice from the dungeon calling out, " Do thyself no 
harm, for we are all here." Great was his surprise. He called for 
a light, and sprang into the dungeon, and fell down trembling at 
the feet of Paul and Silas. 

Immediately he brought them out of the dungeon, and said to 
them, " Sirs, what must I do to be saved ?" He wanted now to 
save his soul. Paul and Silas answered, " Believe in the Lord Jesus 
Christ and thou shalt be saved." 

The jailer had heard before that Jesus died to save him, and 
now he wished to be baptized. But first he washed the prisoners' 
stripes, and then was baptized with all his family. 

The morning after the terrible earthquake, some men came to 
the prison with a message. They asked to see the jailer, and they 
said to him, " The judges desire you to let these two men go." 

The jailer went and gave the message to Paul. He said, " The 
judges desire me to let you go. So depart, and go in peace." 

But Paul would not go. He said, "I am a Roman." What 
did Paul mean by that ? Was he not a Jew, born at Tarsus, not in 
Rome ? Yes ; but there were some men called Romans. It was a 
favor that the great Emperor at Rome gave to some men as a reward ;, 
for if a man was called a Roman, no judge could condemn him,, 



4JO MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

unless he first proved him to be guilty, and called witnesses to show 
that he deserved punishment. 

So the messengers went back to the judges and said, "Those 
prisoners are Romans, and they say that you have beaten them 
openly, and that you must now come and fetch them out yourselves." 

Then the judges were frightened lest they should get into 
disgrace at Rome. They did not like going themselves to the 
prison, but to avoid disgrace they went. 



Paul's Visit to Greece. 

After their liberation Paul and Silas journeyed to other cities, 
leaving Luke and Timothy at Philippi. They arrived first at 
Thessalonica, the largest city in Macedonia. There were many 
spiteful, envious Jews at Thessalonica. They next journeyed about 
fifty miles before they reached Berea, a quiet city among the fruitful 
hills of Macedonia. 

There were not many people in Berea, but they had a synagogue. 

The Jews in Berea listened to the preaching about Jesus, and 
the} 7 looked in the books of the old prophets to see what was written 
there about Him. 

Paul now made a long voyage, and after many days arrived at 
Athens, the most famous city of Greece. There never was a city 
with so many beautiful statues, pictures, temples, and altars. But 
most of the statues were the images of false gods, and all the 
temples were the houses of idols. 

These Athenians were fond of hearing new things, so they 
thought the}- should like to hear Paul preach. But when they heard 
of the resurrection, some began to laugh ; others said, "We will 
hear about this another day." Paul did not stay long with the 
scoffers of Athens ; for he could do more good in other cities. 

Paul set out on his journey to Corinth, a very large city about 
fifty miles off. Corinth was a far richer city than Athens. It was 
the capital of Greece. The chief pleasure in Athens was to talk 



• *mmmsw\ 



• '„«,{. ' u' . ,\ 0. ' " — P1J 




A SCENE IN A STREET OF DAMASCUS. 



(47i) 



472 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

about new things ; but the chief pleasure at Corinth was to feast and 
dance, and play at games. 

Paul stayed at Corinth a year and a half, and weut on teaching 
the word. Timothy joined Paul at Corinth. Paul at last set sail 
again. 

He landed at Caesarea, and went up to Jerusalem. He saw 
his friends there, and worshiped the Lord in His holy city. It 
must have been delightful to relate his wonderful history to the 
apostles who were there. But he did not stay long ; he hastened 
back to Antioch in Syria, the city from which he had set out 
several years before. 

Thus ended his second missionary journey. It had been indeed 
a blessed journey, for thousands of heathens had turned to God. 
In this journey the gospel was first preached in Europe, for 
Macedonia and Greece are in Europe. 



Paul and Titus. 



We have now read of two missionary journeys. The first when 
Paul set out with Barnabas and Mark. The second when he set 
out with Silas. From both these journeys he had returned safely, 
after suffering many afflictions. 

It was Paul's chief delight to tell the heathen about Jesus ; so 
after spending some time at Antioch with the brethren, he set out 
again. 

One of his companions on this third journey was a young man 
named Titus. He was a Greek. His native city was Corinth, the 
capital of Greece, or Achaia. Paul loved Titus much, and called 
him his son. It seems he loved Timothy still more, for he called 
him his dearly beloved son. 

Paul and Titus went through Little Asia. Little Asia was 
divided into provinces. One was called Cilicia. Tarsus was in 
Cilicia. There Paul was born ; his relations lived there. It is 
probable Paul visited his native city. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 473 

He went afterwards into a province called Galatia. Those who 
lived there were a wild, warm-hearted people. Paul had visited 
Galatia some years before. The people were very fond of him at 
first, till false teachers came and set them against him for a time. 

But the} 7, readily granted Paul's request. He had promised 
the brethren, that he would collect mone}^ for the poor saints in 
Jerusalem, who were in great distress. You remember there was 
a famine in most lands, and besides the famine there were perse- 
cutions at Jerusalem, so the poor saints were often in great 
distress. 

When Paul left Galatia he went to other parts of Asia, and 
visited Lystra, which was dear to him as Timothy's birthplace. 

He went through the province of Phrygia, and then went 
down towards the great city of Ephesus. He then returned to 
Jerusalem. 

A Great Uproar in the Temple and on the Castle Stairs. 

The day after Paul's arrival a great meeting was held in 
Jerusalem. The Apostle James was chief over the assembly : many 
elders were there. Christians brought large sums of money, collected 
in distant countries, for the saints in Jerusalem. 

When they had presented these gifts, Paul began to address 
the assembly. 

He told them the history of his travels, and of the conversions 
the Lord had wrought among the Gentiles. What praises flowed 
from the lips of the believers, when Paul had finished his speech ! 

Then some elders arose and began to give the apostles their 
advice. They had met with Jews who bore false witness of Paul, 
and who said he set people against the law of Moses. Was this true ? 

Some Jews from Asia (probably from the city of Ephesus), 
seeing Paul in the Temple, stirred up the people against him, and 
seized him, saying, " This Paul is the man who goes about speaking 
against the Temple ; and he has now taken Gentiles into the 
Temple." 



474 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Paul had never done this. 

But most people believed what the Jews from Asia said ; and 
they all ran together into the Temple. They found Paul in the 
court of Israel, near the altar (where he had a right to be). 
They seized hold of him, and dragged him out of the court, down 
the steps. His enemies hurried him into the streets, and would 
soon have stoned him had they not been suddenly stopped in their 
wickedness. 

There was a great tower just above the Temple, where a 
thousand Roman soldiers lodged. The captain heard that there 
was an uproar in the city, and he ran down in haste, with many 
soldiers, to the place where Paul was. He found the Jews beating 
him, but when these men saw the captain they left off beating 
Paul ; for they knew they had no right to do so. 

The chief captain came near and directed his soldiers to bind 
Paul, then he asked the people what he had done to make them 
so angry with him. 

They gave so many answers to this question that the captain 
did not know what to believe. Some cried out one thing and some 
another, and there was such confusion that the captain desired the 
soldiers to take him into the tower, or castle. 

The soldiers led him along till they came to the stairs that led 
to the castle. As they went up these stairs the people pushed the 
soldiers so much that Paul w T as lifted off his feet and carried up in 
the soldiers' arms. All the time the people, who were pressing up 
the stairs, kept crying out, "Away with him ! " These people were 
ferocious as hounds ready to seize upon a harmless deer. 

The captain had gone up the stairs first, for as Paul was on 
his way he saw the captain, and very respectfully said to him, " May 
I speak unto the people ?" 

The captain wanted to know who he was. Paul answered, " I 
am a Jew of Tarsus, and I beseech thee suffer me to speak unto 
the people." Then the captain gave leave for his prisoner to speak. 

Paul stood on the stairs, rather near the top, and made a sign 
to the people below that he was going to speak. 




THE SHIPWRECK OF PAUL. 



(4: 



476 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

The fierce multitude wanted to hear him, wondering what he 
would say ; and so they suddenly became quite silent. 

Then Paul spoke. He told the multitude his history — how 
he once cruelly treated the Christians — and how he saw a light 
from heaven, and heard Jesus speak — and how he was made blind 
— and how Ananias restored his sight — and how he preached about 
Jesus in Jerusalem, till God said, "Depart, I will send thee far away 
to the Gentiles." 

As soon as Paul had uttered these words, there arose such 
cries and shouts from the people beneath as you never heard. 
Amidst their yells they screamed, "Away with such a fellow from the 
earth ; for it is not fit that he should live I " As they cried out, 
they took off their upper garments to prepare for stoning him, and 
they threw dust in the air, in their rage. 



Paul's Escape from Scourging. 

The captain began to think that Paul must have committed 
some very dreadful crime to make the Jews so angry with him. So 
he desired a centurion to take him into the castle, and to have 
him scourged till he should confess what he had done. What a 
horrible command this was ! For what crime could Paul confess ? 
He might have died under the scourge before he could confess. 
But he remembered that he was a Roman ; that is, he had the 
privileges of a Roman citizen, though he was a Jew. 

That privilege was not to be punished without being tried first, 
and found guilty. 

The soldiers were binding Paul with straps of leather to the 
whipping-post, before beating him with rods, and the centurion was 
standing near ; when Paul said to the centurion, " Is it lawful for 
you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and who has not been 
condemned ?" 

When the centurion heard this, he told the soldiers not to go 
on with their work, and he went to the captain and said, " You must 
take care what you do, for this man is a Roman." 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 477 

Then the captain was quite frightened at having bound him 
with straps or thongs, and he went quickly to Panl, and said, " Tell 
me. Art thou a Roman ?" Paul said, " Yes." The captain said, " I 
paid a great deal of money to be made a Roman." 

" But I," said Paul, " was free-born." He meant that his father 
had the privilege, and so he, his son, inherited it from him. 

The captain then sent away the soldiers, and made them put 
up their straps and their rods. 

But he thought it best to let Paul sleep in the castle that night, 
for had he sent him back, the Jews might have torn him in pieces. 

The captain was very anxious to do what was right to Paul as 
a Roman citizen. He thought it would be best to let his own 
nation judge him. So he sent a message to the councillors of the 
Sanhedrim to come to their hall in the morning. 

Paul stood before the council, and looked at them earnestly. 
He knew many of them, for he himself had once belonged to the 
council, and had helped in condemning Stephen. 

His first words were — " Men and brethren, I have lived before 
God as my conscience showed me was right." 

Paul spent another night in the castle, but it was a joyful 
night ; for the Lord came and stood near him, and said, "Be of 
good cheer, Paul ; for as thou hast been My witness at Jerusalem, 
so thou shalt be My witness at Rome." 

Now Paul knew that his enemies would not be able to kill 
him, and that he would go to that great city, Rome — the grandest 
city in all the world, where Caesar, the emperor of the world, reigned. 

Paul had long wished to go to Rome, that he might speak for 
Jesus there, and turn many to the Lord. But he did not yet 
know how he was to get there. 



Paul Speaks Before King Agrippa. 

Soon after this Paul was taken to Caesarea. He remained in 
prison while Festus, the governor, waited for a ship to carry the 
prisoner to Rome. 



478 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

While Festus waited, a king came to see him. He was the 
son of the old Herod who is called Herod the Great in history. 

His name was Herod Agrippa, but he is generally called 
Agrippa only. 

He was a very great man — greater then Festus, for he was a 
king who could do what he would, while Festus was only a governor 
under Ceesar. 

Agrippa brought with him his sister, Bernice. 

Agrippa paid a very long visit to Festus. 

One day Festus said to him, "I should like you to see a 
man I have here in prison, named Paul. The Jews hate him 
very much, yet I cannot find that he has done anything w r rong. 
They chiefly quarrel with him about one Jesus, whom the Jews 
say is dead, and who Paul says is alive. I would have taken him 
to Jerusalem to be judged, but he wishes to go to Rome, to be 
judged by Csesar." 

Agrippa said he would like to hear the man speak. 

" To-morrow," said Festus, " you shall hear him." 

The next day King Agrippa came into the great court, 
accompanied by the Princess Bernice, dressed in a very grand 
manner. 

All the chief men came also. 

Then Festus commanded that Paul should be brought forth. 
He came with his chains on his hands, a poor prisoner, mean and 
low in his appearance, but with Christ in his heart. 

There were no accusers this time to speak first, so Agrippa 
commanded Paul to begin. 

The prisoner stretched forth his chained hand, and spoke 
respectfully, saying, " King Agrippa." Then he told his history to 
the king, declaring how he had seen Jesus, as a light brighter than 
the sun, and how he had heard His voice. 

" Therefore," said he, " I tell every one that Jesus died and rose 
again." 

When Festus heard him speak of rising from the dead, he 
cried out in a loud voice that Paul was mad. 



MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 479 

Paul replied, " I am not mad, most noble Festus ! but speak 
forth the words of truth; and the king has heard about these 
things. " 

Then Agrippa said, " You almost persuade me to be a 
Christian." 

Paul gave him the most beautiful, loving answer, — " I would 
that you were not only almost, but altogether such as I am, 
except these chains." These were the chains upon his hands. 

Then the king and the great people arose from their seats, 
and went into another room. 

They said to one another, " This man has done nothing to 
deserve death or even chains." 

Agrippa said to Festus, "If he had not asked to be judged 
by Caesar, he might have been set free." 

But was Agrippa ever quite persuaded to be a Christian ? No, 
never. He heard the truth, but he did not follow it at the moment 
he heard it. 

At last a ship came to Csesarea in which Paul could sail toward 
Rome. 

He was given in charge of a centurion named Julius ; there 
was a great storm at sea, and day after day the ship continued to 
be tossed by the waves. Finally it was wrecked near an island, 
called Melita. The shipwrecked men were all saved. The chief man 
of Melita was called Publius. He was very kind to Paul. 

At the end of three months, the spring was come, and the sea 
was smooth. The centurion hired a ship to take the whole party to 
the shores of Rome. 

The day came for the centurion to lead his prisoner to Rome. 
He took him along a well-paved road, very near the sea-coast. Every 
twenty miles there was a kind of inn for the travelers to rest. 

On the road Paul met some friends, who had come from Rome 
on purpose to welcome him. Seeing them pleased his heart so 
much that he thanked God and took courage. 

At last he arrived at Rome, with a troop of loving friends 
around him, as well as the soldier to whom he was chained. 



480 MY MOTHER'S BIBLE STORIES. 

Paul's Life in Rome. 

When Paul arrived in Rome, where did he go ? As he was a 
prisoner, he ought to have been taken to the place where the soldiers 
lived. It was a great square with buildings on every side, and a 
great ditch outside. But he was not taken to that noisy, crowded 
place, like the other prisoners. 

He was allowed to live in a lodging of his own, though he was 
always to be chained to a soldier. 

Do you ask how it was that Paul could pay for a lodging ? I 
suppose it was through the kindness of his friends in Rome. There 
were a great many in Rome who loved Paul very much. 

When he had been three days in Rome, he sent a message to 
the chief Jews in the city. The message was — to ask them to come 
see him in his lodging. 

They were soon on their way to see Paul. They had often heard 
of him, but very few had ever seen him ; and they must have longed 
to see such a wonderful man. 

They found him weak and worn, bowed down with age and 
sorrow, but full of love and kindness. The soldier was chained to 
his arm. 

Paul thought these Jews might have heard from other Jews that 
he had done something wicked. 

He assured them that he had done nothing to deserve being in 
chains. All he had done to offend the Jews was to preach about the 
resurrection. 

This is the last thing said of Paul in the Bible. Luke did not 
write any more of Paul's history. Still we learn from other books that 
he was at last beheaded at Rome. We know that he wished to die 
for Jesus, and he had his wish. He will rise again, and reign with 
Jesus when he comes. How bright he will shine among the saints ! 
for he turned many to righteousness. 






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